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OPIUM: 



ITS USE, ABUSE AND CURE; 

OR, 

FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM. 



THE OPIUM, MORPHINE AND KINDRED HABITS, 

THEIR ORIGIN, NATURE AND EXTENT ; TOGETHER WITH THE 

PROPER METHOD OF TREATMENT TO 

BE ADOPTED. 

y BY 

LESLIE E. KEELET, M.D., LL.D., 

Surgeon Chicago & Alton R. R. Co., Dwight, Illinois. Late Surgeon U. S. Army. 

AUTHOR OF 

"The Morphine User," "A Popular Treatise on Drunkenness," 

"Neurasthenia, the Modern American Disease," 

"Opium Smoking," etc., etc. 



/ 



The disease, that shall destroy at length, 
Grows with his growth, and strengthens with his strength. 

— Pope. 
Within the infant rind of this small flower 
Poison hath residence, and medicine power. 

— Shakespeare. 
The image of a wicked, heinous fault 

Livesin his eye; that close aspect of his 
Does show the mood of a much troubled breast. 

— Shakespeare. 
T ; mely advised, the coming evil shun: 
Better not do the deed, than weep it done. 

— Pryor. 



DWIGHT, ILL.: 

THE LESLIE E. KEELEY CO., PUBLISHERS, 



vty 



I 




V 






Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1890 by 

THE LESLIE E. KEELEY CO., 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



TO THE 

MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 

AND OTHERS WHO HAVE SO KINDLY CONTRIBUTED 
INFORMATION. 

AND TO WHOM > AM INDEBTED FOR MUCH VALUABLE ASSISTANCE 

THROUGH A CORRESPONDENCE WHICH. 

THOUGH LARGE. 

HAS BEEN MARKED WITH UNIFORM COURTESY AND 
KINDNESS TOWARDS ME. 
I 

THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 
BY THE AUTHOR. 



TO MY READERS. 



For the past thirty years I have devoted much time to the 
study of the Opium Habit in all its forms. During the war, and 
in an active practice since then, I have been favored with many 
opportunities for successfully observing Opium cases. I have 
conversed and corresponded with thousands of victims of the 
habit, and have thus been able to arrive at practical conclusions 
concerning the pathology and treatment of this disease. For 
many years I entertained the popular ideas of the profession 
upon this subject ; but extended research and personal observa- 
tions have given me a more accurate and certain knowledge of 
its nature and results. 

It is because the habit is so little understood, and the exist- 
ing need for the latest scientific and medical information con- 
cerning it, that I have written the following pages. They contain 
no idle theories, but are replete with practical facts. I have 
written for the people as well as the profession, in the hope that 
the unwary may be fully warned against a vice which is so delu- 
sive and dangerous. 

The members of the profession will, I trust, find in this vol- 
ume a help in the treatment of Opiumania and Morphism ; while 
to the myriad victims of the drug it will open a door of hope 
which will lead them into the perfect sunshine of liberty and 
health. 

Leslie E. Keeley, M. D., LL.D. 

Dwight, III., March 1, 1890. 



PRELUDE. 



" God's best gift to man," is the Arab's favorite name for Opium. 
The poor, worn nomad of the desert, battling against the elements 
as he toils across the dry and trackless waste, comes to his encamp- 
ment as the evening shadows gather, suffering from an exhaustion 
overpowering. And, as the stars gleam out from that Eastern sky 
like bolts of glowing steel fresh-forged from the furnace of Jove, and 
the sighing winds breath out their requiem for the dying day, he 
finds in the all-potent " drug," "surcease of sorrow." The morning 
of delight breaks upon his weary soul; the richest melodies lull him 
into delicious calm ; he feeds upon ambrosial joys in which rest and 
refreshment come to him like a benediction from God. The en- 
campment is no longer dreary with oppressive desolation ; the simoon 
of the day past is remembered as a laughing zephyr, and the sands 
about him are glistening pearls. The gossamer clouds, flecking 
the sky above him, no longer pass his vision like restless spirits of 
departed joys, to mock him, but like the white-robed angels of God, 
with out-spread wings, they come to watch and guard his rest from 
disturbing influences. And now he sleeps, and, while those oriental 
priests of nature — the tamarind and date-palm — bend over him 
and their own shadows, in rustling song, he dreams, in serene and 
rapturous delight, of that heaven and the houris promised him when 
he has passed to the " voiceless beyond." What wonder, then, that 
he of the " Saracen-faithful," pronounces this nepenthe of the soul, 
11 God's best gift to man." 



FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE MIRAGE OF THE SOUL; OR, THE HABIT FORMING. 

"The primrose path of dalliance leads to hell.' 1 — Shakespeare. 

The dreamy, blissful languor, the ecstacies of pleasure, described 
by the victims of the morphine habit during the earlier stages of 
their disease, and while yet they were only on the confines of the 
opium Inferno, have been given to the world by various writers, in 
the most graphic and vivid terms. The subject has been treated of 
by a master, whose genius has enwrapped it in the most gorgeous 
robing of balanced sentences and resounding periods, making the 
story of the famous opium user a classic in English literature. 
Every writer upon the subject, when he recalls his experiences, 
seems to linger upon the pleasurable sensations of his initation 
with special fondness. His imagination, so worn and jaded with 
respect to all other things, renews its strength in the memory of 
these first sensations— even adding to the glory of the golden haze 
in which his soul was veiled when first he entered the fellowship of 

"The niild-eyed, melancholy, lotos eaters,'" 

in the island where all things were dim and quiet and far away. 

There is a mingling of truth and falsehood in the opium user's 
record of his earlier experiences. Those who have published the 
story of their lives for the general reader, in books or magazines, 
while they do not and cannot exaggerate the dreariness of the desert 
into which the habit leads at last, have haloed the entrance to that 
desert with an unreal glory. To the cured morphine user it seems 
as though a luring demon had furnished the inspiration of these 
records in order to wile innocent souls into bondage and doom them 
to despair ! 

And yet it is difficult to depict with too much color and light 
the peace, the perfect calm, the blissful quietude which opium and 
its preparations bring to the physical nature. They are the masters 
of nearly every form of bodily pain. The pangs of physical anguish, 



10 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM: 

which before were unbearable, stinging to madness, are suddenly 
repulsed and kept at bay, as Eussian wolves are driven back into the 
outer darkness by the sudden upleaping of flames from the fright- 
ened traveler's camp-fire. The tiger fangs of neuralgia are suddenly 
wrenched apart by the strong hand of the opium giant, and the 
shrieking victim has hours of blessed rest ! The agony of diseased 
nerves is quieted. The morphine spirit touches the tossing victim 
of sleepless nights and days with its soft white' hand, and he be- 
comes as peaceful as a sleeping child. It is a blessed peace, it is a 
sudden transition from infernal regions to gardens of Paradise ! 

The sweeping condemnation, indulged in by so many, of the ex- 
hibition of the various opium sedatives used by the profession, is 
not founded upon reason. It results from an uninformed sentimen- 
tality. Not for nothing does Nature, our mother, nurse the pale 
poppy flower in her fruitful soil with out-pouring sunshine. Like 
the Buddhist Satan, the opium spirit is dual, an angel of light as 
well as of darkness. It has for humanity blessings as well as curses. 
The wise and careful physician uses the " drug " to allay the torture 
of disease, for he knows that the torments of agonized nerves may 
often be as exhaustive to the vital forces as the malady which causes 
the anguish. Nor is it the prescription of the physician, or a strict 
compliance with his directions, which, except in a small percentage 
of cases, leads to the formation of the morphine habit. There are, 
of course, thoughtless and inexperienced medical men, who estab- 
lish in patients the opium craving by their heedless continuance of 
the "drug." But, as a rule, the victims themselves create the tyr- 
annous appetite by continuing the use of morphia, or other nar- 
cotics, after the medical attendant has ceased to prescribe. They 
have found relief in the "drug," and they prescribe it for them- 
selves. The lesson to be drawn from such instances is, not that 
physicians should never prescribe opium sedatives to their patients, 
but that the treatment of disease should be left to those who have 
devoted their lives to the study of maladies and their remedies. 

If patients take up the administration of narcotics to them- 
selves at the point where their physician has ceased to prescribe 
them, and creating in themselves the morphine habit, they have 
only themselves to blame ; as in this age of public schools, newspa- 
pers and of scientific knowledge, none should be ignorant of the 
powers of opium or morphine, and the dangers attendant upon their 
continued use. The vast majority of the slaves of the "drug" are 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 11 

neither unlearned nor inexperienced. They stand much above the 
average in intelligence and general information. How then can 
they justly plead the excuse of ignorance, and throw the blame upon 
the physician? In cases where morphine is administered to ignor- 
ant patients, to tell them the name of the "drug" which has re- 
lieved their pain might be like pointing out to Adam and his wife 
the tree of good and evil, and making it easy for them to pluck and 
eat its fruit. If the patient only knows that he was relieved from 
pain, but does not know the agent by which relief was obtained, he 
cannot dispense the potent and dangerous medicine to himself. To 
keep him in ignorance is his best safeguard. The medical profes- 
sion have, perhaps enough to lament, and even to repent of, because 
of their lack of positive knowledge, but the blame of making mor- 
phine users need not rest more heavily on their consciences than 
may be needful to keep them from carelessness in the pursuance of 
their duty to relieve the physical sufferings of humanity. 

I do not, then, deny that the vivid portrayals of the power of 
opium and its preparations to quiet physical pain by writers of 
books and magazine articles upon the opium habit are, in the main, 
truthful. It is also true that certain unnatural appetites and pas- 
sions which sometimes become despotic, spoiling the life, and bring- 
ing, like a dark cloud over the soul, a fearful dread of desperate 
crime and awful judgment, are held in check, shorn of their ramp- 
ant power by the wondrous might of opium. The inebriate some- 
times finds at least temporary relief in the "drug" from his fiery 
craving for alcohol; the abnormally unchaste, through the same 
magic, obtains relief from this terrible disease. 

But it may be gravely questioned whether the glowing language 
used by writers upon the subject to depict the "flowery beds of 
ease " upon which the soothing power of opium lays the tormented 
body, is not only unwise, but positively injurious. However this 
may be, I do insist that the highly rhetorical descriptions of the 
effect of opium sedatives upon the mind and its power of thought 
and imagination, have been pregnant of much harm to the world. 
The whole subject has been pictured with highest lights and warm- 
est coloring. The reader is told, in effect, that through opium or its 
preparations he may at once become an orator, a poet, a thinker with 
grand ideas of liberty and progress, or be lifted from discouragement 
and even dispair to high possibilities of joyous and successful 
action. 



12 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

Some writers speak of inspirations, which, at the waving wand 
of the opium spirit, swept through the mind like mighty winds, 
awakening great thoughts and original ideas, revealing and arous- 
ing into activity mental powers far surpassing those exhibited by 
the common, unstimulated, and rugged brain. They tell of poetic 
sensibilities aroused, so that the soul seems to walk in high and 
equal fellowship with the shades of Shakespeare and Milton, and all 
the giants of literature. They speak of great schemes for the bet- 
terment of mankind revealing themselves to the reformer's thought 
when wrapped in his opium ecstacy, making the world's future 
splendid with golden hope and glorious achievement. They tell of 
the power of expression suddenly developed — the gift of speech be- 
stowed by the spirit of the "drug," making one eloquent to a degree 
surpassing the highest hopes of his unopiumized dreaming. 

They speak, too, and ah ! how deadly sweet to thousands of 
aching hearts, and spirits cast down and bruised!— of the opium 
witchcraft as able to lift "the heart bowed down to heights of 
calm ;" to cure the heartache ; to minister to a mind diseased, and 
soothe the trouble of thick-coming fancies ; speak of the 

" Sweet, oblivious antidote, 
Cleansing the bosom of the perilous stuff which weighs upon the heart," 

as soothing mutual sufferings, causing thoughts which torment 
and feelings which distress to vanish, while the liberated sufferer 
lies as in a fiery circle ringed with peace. And at last one of these 
writers, the one genius of them all, strikes a still higher key, and 
discourses in tones which, to some, are more fascinating than all 
the rest. He tells of dreams of indescribable splendor which came 
to him in the opium torpor, lighting up all the heavens of his sleep 
with gorgeous coloring, revealing the majestic evolutions of mighty 
armies, the blast of signaling trumpets, the thrilling rise and dying 
fall of countless bands of martial music near and far, the shoutings 
of captains, the muffled thunder of marching feet — an infinite 
grandeur, a vision of indescribable magnificence. 

Are not such words full of temptation ? They may be inspired, 
but the inspiration is not breathed by a heavenly spirit. So far as 
regards these gorgeous cloudlands of almost hysterical description 
of the effects of opium using, in its earlier stages, upon the facul- 
ties of thought, imagination and expression, there is falsehood as 
well as mischief in them. That they are mischievous, who can 
doubt? While it is true that by far the greater number of the 



OK THE FETTERS BROKEN. 13 

slaves of opium in its different forms began the use of the "drug" 
on account of physical distress, yet the number is by no means 
small of those who at first took it in order to reproduce, if possible 
the mental phenomena of which they had read such mo,r;eous 
things. Is it strange that the language of DeQuincey, describing in 
words of stately rhythm and wondrous melody, like majestic organ 
music, the magnificent dreams and visions of his opium sleep: or 
that even the lower -keyed, but still vivid and fascinating word- 
- pictures of the wonderful influence of the first few doses of opium 
upon intellect and fancy, as portrayed by less famous writers in our 
magazines and newspapers, should tempt men and women to dan- 
gerous, deadly experimenting with the "drug?" The fact is, that 
many a student in college, perhaps the brightest intellect of ail — 
many a young, ambitious, literary man or woman, after reading 
these unwise and most dangerous books, or articles, upon the opium 
habit, or personal experiences of morphine users, have hastened to 
procure the " drug " and test upon themselves its magic power ! 

They, too, desire to dream dreams and see visions. They, too, 
would become able to weave into stately and splendid language 
marvelous revelations from some region "East of the sun, West of 
the moon," unvisited by any mortal but themselves! They, also, 
desire to call up the seeming angel and feel the thrill of its kisses on 
their lips. 

They are not wholly ignorant of what they are doing ; they 
have knowledge of the fact that beyond the border land of mirage 
there lies a baleful desert ; but they are tempted by the glittering 
words in which the opium dream is pictured. They have been told 
— thep°, writers themselves tell them — that the Lotos Island is the 
abode of Circe. But desire from within and temptation from with- 
out make them heedless of warning. The palace of the siren and 
its delights are so wonderfully seductive that the sight of the grunt- 
ing herd of those who have been the lovers of the temptress, and 
upon whom, in past days, her kisses have wrought swinish transfor- 
mation, does not deter the flushed, eager new-comer, fresh landed 
upon the "island of joyance." He sees, as he hastens through 
shadowy avenues, only the white pillars and shining walls of the 
enchanted palace, he hears only the tender cadence of inviting 
voices ; he feels only the longings of passioES and the thrills of hope ! 

Alas for him, if even but once a flame be kindled in his blood by 
the fatal sweetness 01 x,he siren's kiss . 



14 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

In the case of those who may be called "natural" opium users 
—that is, those in whom the "drug" arouses the opium ecstacy — 
the one first dose will, in the vast majority of cases, be fatally 
decisive ! 

He who, for the first time calls upon the opium spirit, may see 
only a beautiful angel with shining face and hovering wings, but if 
he would only look behind the apparition he would see, cast upon a 
background of gloom, a grisly shadow rising vast and awful in the 
twilight — a terrible warning of judgment and of doom. His sor- 
cery has been successful ; his incantation has raised the spirit and 
compelled it to weave its spells around him ; but during the short 
hour of glamour and of dream, he has bound himself to the service 
of a satanic master whose rule is pitiless and whose reward is death ! 

The seeming increased intellectual activity, the apparent en- 
largement of mental capacity and power which are felt by the mor- 
phine inebriate during the first stages of his experience, are real to 
him, beyond question. To his own consciousness there is no illusion 
in the visions which he beholds, no deceitfulness in the inspiration 
which he feels. As he lies steeped ina" tranced calm," the tides of 
thought seem to roll into his brain from some exhaustless ocean, — 
the horizon of his daily thinking seems to lift its curtains, revealing 
infinite reaches of sublime speculation. He believes himself to 
have passed into a new world. It is a real world to him. It is not 
a portion of his nature only which is under the mystic charm, but 
all of it. He himself is under the power of the spell. His faculties 
of perception and feeling, his will, every part and power of his 
nature, are wrought upon by the wonderful witchcraft. There is 
no central quality of will or judgment that is not influenced by the 
"drug." 

This is the Mirage of the Soul ! Not only does the morphine 
neophyte, as he enters the desert of his weary pilgrimage, see an 
unreal earth and sky, but he also becomes a part of that world, 
unable to separate himself from it. He is no longer in the actual 
world, he is no longer a real man. It would not even be correct to 
say that he is a man plus opium ; he is, rather, an opiumized 
man. He is not so much deceived as transformed. Every thought, 
every feeling, every act of judgment and will is opium-tinged. The 
luminous mist does not enwrap the outside world alone — its shin- 
ing folds enshroud his inmost nature and permeate his whole being. 
He is himself a part of the opium dream, and cannot separate him- 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 15 

self from its unrealities. Whatever thirst it may have been which 
wrought upon him to begin his desert journey — the longing to do 
great deeds, the craving to search out all hidden things, the ambi- 
tion to taste all that is strange and weird in human experience, the 
desire to gain special strength for burdens heavy to bear, or to en- 
dure troubles which torment the spirit and mar the life — whatever 
thirst may have parched him, he is a portion of the visions which 
he beholds, the shining waters and the shading palms are in his own 
soul, they are a part of himself. The deception is absolute. In 
body, soul and spirit there remains not one sensation, not one 
power by which an actual, true perception of the real world can be 
obtained. Surely one in this condition cannot correctly judge of 
the value of his thoughts and the genuineness of his revelations ! 

The reader will bear in mind that it is of the beginning of the 
morphine habit that we are speaking. What has just been said of 
the influence of the "drug" upon the entire nature will apply with 
still greater force to the condition of those in whom the appetite 
has become confirmed. But, in view of the language used by 
writers in depicting the delightful sensations and effects produced 
by the first moderate doses of the "drug," it is necessary to insist 
with great emphasis that, in the exhilarations, the enchantment of 
the first experiments in opium intoxication there is an element of 
deceit and falsehood. The narcotic ecstacies do not bring forth 
genuine fruit. The thinking which one does while lulled by mor- 
phine witchery is not nearly so original or brilliant as it appeared 
when it flashed through the dreamer's consciousness. It will not. 
endure the test of true criticism, viewed in the light of the facts 
and principles of this real work-a-day world. 

The young preacher who nerves himself with two or three 
pellets of morphine to face his congregation and overcome the 
fatigue and shrinking which oppress him, may, at the time, believe 
that he is reaching the loftiest heights of eloquence. But, however 
greatly an audience, satisfied with rhetoric and declamation, may 
admire his morphinized oratory, their lives will not be influenced by 
his words. He seems himself to have been caught up . into Paradise 
and to have heard unspeakable words ; but it was not the Paradise 
of God. The eloquence produced by narcotic poisons — can it be 
true eloquence? can it have that touch of nature to which all 
hearts respond ? Let the testimony of the thousands of authors, 
lawyers, and clergymen, who have become confirmed in the habit of 



16 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

opium using, be taken on this point and they will admit that their 
stimulated brilliancy of thought and expression did not, in its 
effects, fulfill their anticipations. 

How can a speaker whose mouth and throat are dry, whose 
voice is husky and whose eyes are dulled, have the highest and most 
effective power over his audience? But his first tampering with 
the "drug" will have these physical effects. 

Literature has received little, if any, enrichment from opium 
using. Granting that the "Confessions," the "Raven," the "Rime 
of the Ancient Mariner," and "Kubla Khan" were inspired by the 
poppy juice, what thoughtful critic would claim that these are to 
be classed with the strong, healthy poems which live on because 
they are full of "sweetness and light?" It is doubtful if these weird 
creations, as a whole, are ever highly esteemed by sound and bal- 
anced intellects except for the music of their rhythm, or as studies 
of the effect of a diseased imagination. It is the immature or the 
abnormally developed mind which regards them as masterpieces. 
And as for the best that is in them, like those stanzas in the "Rime 
of the Ancient Mariner :" 

''Sometimes, a-dropping from the sky, 
I heard the sky lark sing ; 
Sometimes all little birds that are,— 
How they seemed to fill the sea and air 
With their sweet jargoning ! 
******* 

A noise like that of a hidden brook 
► In the leafy month of June, 

That to the sleeping woods all night 
Singeth a quiet tune. 
******* 
He prayeth best who loveth best, 
And all things both great and small ; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all:—" 

these may well be credited to those periods when the grasp of the 
black tyrant was slackened, and the soul looked out through clear- 
ing eyes upon Nature and Heaven. 

It is not through morphine inspirations that writers can lead us 
to the sweet spring waters and golden fruits of our mother Nature. 
As soon as the "drug" begins to drone its lullaby and lap the senses 
in its waking dreams, the eye-lids droop, the iris contracts, and a 
veil comes down between the senses and the outward world. How 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 17 

can one in such a condition see, as they are, "this goodly frame, 
the earth *, this most excellent canopy, the air ; this majestical roof, 
fretted with golden fire?" He is separated from these things. He 
can no longer press his heart against the bosom of Xature and feel 
its mighty throb. His perceptions and his sympathies are dulled. 
The veil in which he has enshrouded himself shuts out from his 
soul the true "light which lighteth every man that cometh into 
the world." 

It would contravene an eternal law — that law which has been, 
and ever will be, the only basis for attainment of great success and 
high reward — if merely swallowing a white powder or a dark gum 
can make it possible to achieve great things in any field of work. 
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread"'— that is the im- 
mutable, the unescapable ordinance. Who ever has, who ever can, 
evade it? Real, solid, lasting results are reached only by honest 
and severe labor, not by morphine stimulation, not by any false 
or easy way whatsoever. That is the perpetual, unchanging law of 
Mature and of G-od. To endeavor to escape from ite sway is to 
enter upon a life tinged at its beginning with falsehood, and surely 
tending to failure and despair. 

It would not be just to close this chapter without again refer- 
ring to the very large class who acquired the habit of using some 
form of opium, not for the sake of its mental stimulus, or to make 
labor more easy, or simply as an intoxicant, but to escape physical 
anguish which they felt too terrible to endure. To blame them 
harshly for seeking the relief which the "drug" affords in such 
cases would be to add an undeserved burden to those whose load is, 
without it, too heavy for them. If some of them were too easily 
induced to begin the habit ; if, shrinking too sensitively from pain, 
they hasten to alleviate, by the use of morphine, sufferings which 
they might have endured, who shall speak severely of their weak- 
ness now that they have come into the bitter bondage of an 
anguish which torments not only the body but the soul ! Let no 
useless blame be cast upon them. If in the past they were weak, 
they now comprehend the fact better than any one else can know it, 
and he would be heartless indeed who would add even a little to the 
burden which crushes them beneath its weight. Of all the causes of 
self-reproach which fill the hearts of the slaves of opium with 
increasing remorse and self-condemnation, the fact that their en- 
slavement began in their own weakness is the sorest. Of them 



18 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

it may be truly said, "the heart knoweth its own bitterness." 

And as for those who sought relief in morphine from the sorrows 
of life ; upon whom calamity came suddenly, beating them down as 
the tall grain is prostrated by driving storms ; those whose light of 
hope went out in sudden darkness ; those who saw that all the 
future held for them only weariness and heartache and tears, 
who shall cast the first stone at them ? No doubt it is true that 
thousands of men and women find their only relief from bitter 
memories, and from daily, hopeless sorrow, in the benumbing influ- 
ence of morphine. 

It is not because of the climatic influences alone that the 
Southern States contain so many who are addicted to the use of 
opium. The ruin wrought by the war extends beyond the loss of 
lives and the wreck of fortunes. It has caused many a bereaved 
and despairing woman, many a man, ruined in -property and hope- 
less of regaining the wealth and position he has lost, to endeavor to 
dull all their sensibilities and make life endurable by the use of the 
' 'drug." Thus the devastation has continued long after wrecked 
plantations have been restored and earth-works ploughed level with 
the ground. It reaches to those still living, who, having desper- 
ately sought alleviation from mental suffering in the narcotic, are 
now living a "death in life." 

But who, knowing what these men and women were in the 
years long past, what they have suffered, and into what state they 
have at last come, shall reproach them ? If their pride repels our 
pity, let us sit in silence in the presence of their great calamity, 
only eager, if but once they lift to us despairing but yet questioning 
eyes, to point out to them, if possible, some certain way of .deliv- 
erance. 

In speaking, as I have in this chapter, of the forming of the 
opium habit, it has been my earnest desire to discourage any as yet 
unscathed reader from those beginnings which are so seductive and 
so deadly. Do not cross the confines of the opium desert, nor even 
once look upon and become a part of its mirage. Many a confirmed 
opium user, who first took the ,k drug" to alleviate physical tortures 
of the most intense kind, will now say that he wishes he had died in 
agony rather than have become what he is. Let the weary and 
heavy laden still endeavor to bear and wait and hope. To seek 
mitigation of mental sufferings in opium or morphine is to woo a 
deeper sorrow, an intenser despair. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 19 



CHAPTER II. 

MORPHIA-3IANIA j OR, THE HABIT ESTABLISHED. 

How use doth breed a habit in a man.— Shakespeare. 
O death in life,— the days that are no more .—Tennyson. 

It is not given to any human being to know the line at which 
an indulgence becomes a habit. That line has been crossed by the 
feet of innumerable millions hastening with laughter and shouting 
along the first gentle descent of the way to death but not one of 
them saw, or could ever tell just where the fatal point was passed. 
They did not look, they did not think, they did not heed. The 
laws which avenge evil indulgences by changing them into tyran- 
nous habits are indeed shod with wool, and do their work with quiet, 
noiseless hands. Slowly, unceasingly, "without haste, without 
rest," the wreaths of flowers are replaced by silken bands, and 
the bands of silk by chains of steel. The consciousness of liberty 
remains long after the bondage has become as fixed and certain as 
the grasp of Fate. 

This statement applies with peculiar force to the involuntary 
opium victim. There are, indeed, too many cases in which the 
sufferer on a sick bed, from long continued and intense pain, has 
believed himself compelled for 1>he sake of rest, for the sake of 
life even, to alleviate his torments with the weapons which only 
the poppy provides. Suddenly and without warning he discovers 
that he has acquired the Opium Habit : acquired it without having 
experienced one pleasant hour of dalliance with the "drug;" no 
exhilarations, no mental up-liftings during the initiation. Physical 
agony had absorbed his powers of attention and thought. He could 
not heed the warning voice which began to sound before the fatal 
line was reached. Without a knowledge of the fact, he found him- 
self captive to a giant whose grasp was pitiless, whose power was re- 
lentless. 

But those who are themselves responsible, to a greater or lesser 
extent, for beginning and continuing the use of the "drug," do not 
become aware of their slavery until long after their captivity is as- 
sured. They still imagine the opium spirit to be their servant, or 
their playfellow, when, long before, it has become a tyrant master. 
But at what time, in the earlier days of thoughtless or willful tarn- 



20 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

pering with the "drug," the transformation occurred, they cannot 
tell. Once they were free ; now body and soul are given over to 
a slavery whose dull days are passing wearily, and upon which little 
light is cast except by the memory of "days that are no more." 
That is all they know. 

Probably in the majority of cases, at the time of initiation into 
the habit, the morphine doses are not taken daily, but at intervals 
of three or four days, or whenever pain or desire calls for it. After 
the first exhilarative or sedative effects there may be a period of sev- 
eral days during which no uneasiness, and no desire to resort to the 
"drug," is felt. The thoughtless dupe is ignorant of the more subtle 
and lasting effects of opium and morphine. He imagines that the 
influences of each of his doses are limited to the period during which 
he experiences the pleasant and the more positive reactive or second- 
ary effects of it. He does not suspect that his quietude and freedom 
from desire for the opiate are caused by what he has taken two or 
three days before. He thinks himself to be still his own master, if 
he thinks at all ; he honestly believes that he "can quit when he 
wants to," because of these intervals between his days of indulgence. 
If he can go one or two days after apparent effects of his dose have 
passed away, why cannot he extend the time of abstinence four or 
five days, a week, or indefinitely just as long as he may please? 
Thus he argues to himself, thus he persuades himself, not knowing 
that the feeling of liberty with which he quiets himself is but the 
" stuff that dreams are made of." Then, too, his delusion is strength- 
ened by the quiet, insinuating nature of his desire for another dose 
when at length the want of it begins to be felt. If he could not ob- 
tain the opiate as soon as he begins to think about it, and feel its in- 
fluence will be pleasant or helpful, he would soon be aroused to the 
fact that he had lost his freedom. The agony caused by nerves and 
brain awaking from their enforced torpor would fill body and mind 
with horror and anguish, and that he has already become an " opium 
user " would be testified by a thousand shrieking voices crying out 
from every particle of his frame. If any reader has begun to ques- 
tion within himself whether as yet he has become one of the many 
hundred thousand American opium users, let him test his condition 
by doubling or trebling the interval between his last dose and the 
next. 

But those who assert to themselves that they are free, when, in 
fact, they are slaves, do not often, either involuntarily or with pur- 



OR. THE FETTERS BROKEN. 21 

pose, resist the upspringing of desire to feel again the narcotic in- 
toxication. They actually do go without the "drug " as long as they 
please, hut they " please " to take it again so quickly! The desire 
is so natural, so much like that for food, or rest, that it awakens 
no alarm. The quantity taken at this stage is not large, nor is its 
cost great. It is easy to gratify what seems to the self-deluded, or 
the ignorant, a moderate want, which they think they could resist 
if they wished, hut somehow do not wish to resist. There is al- 
ways such a good, satisfactory reason for yielding ! One does not 
feel just right and wants to feel a little hetter, or has some extra 
work to do. or is sluggish in mind, or it is a rainy, cheerless day and 
he would like to have more comfortable sensations, or he feels well 
and thinks how a dose of morphine would exhilarate him ; in a 
hundred ways the grip of the tyrant is disguised and his bond slave 
" fooled to the top of his bent " with the delusion that he is free. 
The poor victim does not "crave for" or '"demand" the drug, he 
merely "wants it," and he thinks the "want" to be only an ordi- 
nary desire, which can at any time be mastered by the will. He 
does not either realize or know that these wants are but the quiet 
tuggings by which his captor tightens the chain. To abstain would 
undeceive him, but he does not wish to abstain. He has not come, 
as yet, to that stage of his experience — the matter is not important 
enough. Or, if he would but consider, he would see that his fertility 
in excuses for self-gratification shows that his nature, his uncon- 
scious self, has become so opiumized, that his brain has taken sides 
with the drug, and submitted to its autocracy. 

While those who are passing through this stage of the morphine 
habit are really confirmed opium users, yet their case is not so hope- 
less as it afterward becomes. To stop in the downward path and 
retrace their steps may not be impossible even without aid, although 
the sufferings which they experience cannot be imagined by those 
who have not felt them. But the difficulty is that they will not 
think. They are already opiumized or morphinized : they cannot 
see their condition as it is. As long as there is any relief from pain, 
any mental stimulus, any trace of pleasant exhilaration in the 
"drug" they will, almost without exception, continue its use, and 
close against themselves the door of self-deliverance. 

But as surely as the pursuit of the Furies and the decrees of 
Fate, the time comes when they are awakened, not to their danger, 
perhaps.but to their condition. The intervals between doses have 



22 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

decreased until every day —perhaps twice or even three times in each 
twenty-four hours, the narcotic must be indulged in. The desire 
for it is no longer a mere want — it is an imperious demand. The 
amount of the "drug " taken each time has been steadily increased 
until many deaths are hidden in each dose. The captive of the 
"drug" can no longer quiet himself with the thought that there 
are days when he has no longing for the opiate, for there is not an 
hour nor a minute of his conscious existence when he does not real- 
ize that he is under the influence of the poison. Even with the cun- 
ning help of the opium spirit he can no longer deceive himself. He 
has, doubtless, always had a feeling of strong repulsion against the 
opium habit. All through his life he has heard those who have ac- 
quired it spoken of with contemptuous disgust, at the best with con- 
temptuous pity. He has seen the pale, thin victims of the poison as 
they pass silently along to secure a fresh supply of the opiate, upon 
which their very lives depend, and has shrank from the thought of 
becoming like them. But at last he can no longer hide the fact 
from himself, he has become an opium user. He has acquired the 
habit which once seemed to him like a horrible leprosy. He belongs 
to the class which he once shrank from and despised. 

It would seem that when once aroused to this terrible fact, one 
would at once begin to seek for some way of escape. But as a gen- 
eral rule this is not the case. Usually the process of self-conviction 
is a long one. At first one says to himself that he is not, and 
cannot become an opium user. In time he begins to wonder if he is, 
or ever will be one. And when, at last, he admits to himself that 
he is involved in the toils from which so few escape, he has become 
accustomed to the condition which once seemed worse than death. 
The dulled eyes of the opium user open but sluggishly to a view of 
his own condition, and his dulled sensibilities do not acutely feel his 
danger. He simply accepts the fact. Perceiving no open door of 
escape, he does not try, or but rarely tries, at this period of his his- 
tory, to be delivered from his thraldom. The Satanic spirit which 
dwells in the "drug " has at last revealed its power, and asserted its 
imperious mastership just when, I might almost say, the time for 
manly revolt has passed, and the hour of terror-stricken awakening 
may yet be far distant. The heavy and evil servitude is sadly 
accepted, and the dull, weary life is lived on. 

This must, of necessity, be a sombre chapter because it treats of 
a sad subject. The life of the confirmed user of any form of opium 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 22 

is full of bitter thoughts — he hears within himself a ceaseless 
undertone of despair. Only in sleep can he find forgetfulness of his 
great calamity, and in some cases even sleep becomes treacherous 
and brings dreams which distress, or visions which affright him. 
There is a mingling of life and death in the opium user's existence. 
In alcoholic intoxication there may be lights as well as shadows, 
even though the lights be false and treacherous. But that of the 
confirmed opium user is for the most part a dull, unrelieved torpor, 
full of shadows and bitterness. 

It is usually the case that those permanent changes in the phy- 
sical appearance which give the victim of opium, or its alkaloid, 
morphia, his diseased and often repulsive appearance, do not occur 
until he has reached a still later period in his habit. Frequently the 
first effect of the habitual use of the opiate is to give a plethora of 
body, so that, at a distance, or to unobservant eyes, there is an ap- 
pearance of health and strength. People will congratulate the 
victim of the habit upon his excellent physical condition, as they 
often do those who begin to be bloated in the face from the use of 
alcoholic liquors. It is hardly necessary to add that such congratu- 
lations cannot call forth a very hearty response from the opium user ; 
for he knows that it is disease, not health, which gives him the 
appearance on which he is complimented. And all who observe 
closely recognize the fact that he is no longer a physically sound 
man, while those who have learned to know the signs of it, see that 
he is suffering from the opium disease — the secret leprosy of mod- 
ern days, which permeats the body, mind, and spirit of its victim. 
The apparently healthy flesh, which, at a hasty glance seemed to 
betoken good health, is seen to be both soft and pasty. There is little 
power of physical exertion, except, perhaps an ability to take long 
walks. Other forms of bodily exercise or labor in many cases soon 
produce breathlessness. There is a distaste for physical exertion, 
and the body often becomes fat and gross because there is so little 
waste of tissue, that is, because of persistent indolence. The eyes 
furnish the plainest and most easily observed proofs of the habit. 
The contraction of the pupil, the flaccid eyelids, and the dullness of 
the eye itself, become chronic, The quick brightness or the steady 
shining of intellectual power, are no longer seen in it. The soul 
that looks out of those windows is darkened, and the windows them- 
selves become clouded. 

There are tens of thousands of women in this country from 



24 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

whose eyes the morphine habit has long since blotted out beauty 
and brightness and tenderness and love, leaving only a dull gaze, an 
unseeing, lifeless look. And yet they were once lovely to behold, 
and strong men have humbled themselves and passed anxious days 
and sleepless nights in their desire and endeavor to win from them 
but a glance of trustfulness and love. To how many of these wo- 
men, now opium-wrecked, have been repeated by voices trembling 
with honest passion: 

"Thine eyes are springs in whose serene 
And silent waters heaven is seen ; 
Thy lashes are the herbs that look 
On their reflections in the brook." 

But now, not only has the use of opiates ruined all their beauty, 
it has made them repulsive to look upon, and often those who 
once loved them avoid their gaze and even forget that their 
glances were sweet in days gone by. One of the earliest effects of 
the proper and successful treatment of opium patients is seen in the 
clearing and brightening of their eyes. The opium cloud passes 
away, and there is a clear shining after the long and dreary dark- 
ness. 

The influence of the habit upon the v#ce is also very marked, 
Whatever music there may have once been in its tones, has van- 
ished. It becomes hoarse. The morphinized public speaker can no 
longer express various shades of sentiment by varying tones and 
cadences. The wondrous organ, which once uttered every thought 
and feeling with convincing strength or persuasive sweetness, is 
now "out of tune and harsh." The voice loses its flexibility. It 
can no longer bear its part in fireside song, even if the opium user 
cares to join in fireside singing, which he does not. The music 
has not only gone out of his voice, but out of his heart and life, and 
he sits in silence where once he would have been foremost in song. 



OH, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 25 

CHAPTER III, 

3IORPHIA-3IAXIA.— CONTINUED. 

The mental condition of the confirmed morphine user grows 
more and more unnatural. The flights of fancy which the "drug'' 
may once have stimulated, the abnormal intellectual activity which 
the beginner believes to be new and genuine power : the enlarged 
faculty of expression which caused him, even though naturally slow 
of speech, to be fluent in language — all these effects have long since 
ceased to be felt. The preacher, the public orator, the author, no 
longer persuade themselves that they can open the gates to new and 
infinite fields of thought by a dose of the " drug." The illusion has 
passed away. The mirage has utterly faded. '*The cloud-capped 
towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples,'' the splendid 
world of their dreaming, all have dissolved. 

It may be accepted as a rule, almost without exception, that 
the beginning of the period in life during which one becomes con- 
firmed in the morphine habit, is also the limit of his highest 
achievement. The confirmed opium user may indeed seem to 
others and even to himself to reach new heights of success after 
that time. He may continue to be a public character, he may be 
re-elected to office again and again, he may be raised from lower to 
higher station ; but his apparent growth in power is only on the 
surface and not genuine. The opium-taking preacher, the public 
writer or lawyer, may for years preserve his place in popular esteem, 
or seem to be falling from it but little, but they acquire no new 
strength. They do not enlarge to any extent the area of their 
earlier acquired stores of information, and sooner or later, when 
those are exhausted, their deterioration is rapid. The lawyer may 
still hold in his memory the principles and precedents of law and 
practice which he learned before he began to use the "drug," but 
when he has become an opiumized lawyer his growth ceases. One 
of the more pronounced effects of opiates upon the mental nature is 
to weaken and confuse the memory. It becomes less and less strong 
and accurate, until facts, principles, recollections, which once stood 
out clear and definite to retrospective thought, are like dim, mist-en- 
veloped forms, their outlines indistinct, and their relations confused. 

The business man achieves no great success after he becomes a 



26 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

slave to morphine. In most instances he simply plods on in the old 
way with ever-failing energy, making no new ventures, winning no 
great rewards. He sees his lear-headed, active rivals, with their 
new and more intelligent methods, gradually pushing before him, 
successful, prosperous, while he, weak in courage and energy, is 
unable to match them in the race for wealth, and he often grows 
envious and bitter. Or, with nickering, unreal energy he may at- 
tempt to mend his failing fortunes by hazardous ventures, and feeble 
in nerve and weak in judgment, add the calamity of financial ruin to 
the burden of misery which weighs upon his heart. The judgment 
of the opium user is impaired. Whether a business or a professional 
man he will more and more frequently make mistakes, and decide 
incorrectly. His counsel to others becomes unreliable, and his con- 
clusions as to his own conduct grow more and more noticeably un- 
wise. 

The effects of the use of opium in any of its forms upon the will 
are very marked. So far as regards the taking of his regular opiate 
by the confirmed opium user, he has no will at all. The questioning 
of his friends, when they become aware of his condition, as to why 
he continues so dangerous and fatal a practice, or why he does not 
cease it at once, are not only as idle as the noise of the wind, but 
proceed from perfect ignorance of the nature and consequences of 
the habit. The opium user's will is no longer the will of a free man. 
It has not only become enslaved, but it consents to the bondage. 
More than that it has become the purveyor of the tyrant, his 
willing helper. While under the influence of his dose the victim 
may have dreams of revolt and self-control, but they are the merest 
dreams. At the first awakening of the opium craving the will ceases 
all show of resistance to the desire. Its subjugation is complete, its 
obedience abject. When the will has once become opiumized, to call 
upon it. unaided, to resist the cravings of body and mind for the ac- 
customed opiate, is asking it to resist itself, and reverse all the laws 
of its operation. It is true that there may come a time when, owing 
to certain physical changes produced by the "drug," the mind will 
become desperate at the thought of the subjection of body and soul 
to so hideous a slavery, and the will may rally to its aid. Of this 
experience I shall speak in a subsequent chapter. But in most 
instances, and usually for a considerable length of time, the victim 
has no will as regards his habit. He simply yields ; yields not only 
his body and mind, but his very self to the power of the tyrant. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 27 

And to exhort him to exercise will-power and abandon at once his 
opiate, seems to him (what it really is ) the language of the foolish 
and the blind. 

But the change produced in the will by opiates influences the 
life, not only with respect to the habit, but in all its activities. 
The whole being is smitten with torpor. The old energy which once 
made action necessary and occupation a delight has become a thing 
of the past. There is a shrinking from exertion in most cases, 
which steadily increases. Not that the body is incapable of work, 
for under the influence of the habitual stimulant the opium user 
may, while yet the "drug" has some stimulative effects, show ficti- 
tious strength. But the will-power has become so poisoned and so 
weak that it will not urge to exertion, or sustain for any length of 
time either physical or intellectual activity. The man is sluggish 
and listless. For hours he may sit gazing at vacancy. In many in- 
stances simply to rise and cross a room seems too great an exertion 
— something to be postponed as long as possible. Weakness of will 
results in procrastination. Duties which should be attended to at 
once are put off ; and often, when performed, are done as hastily 
and with as little exertion as possible. The opium user's promise to 
do anything cannot be depended upon, partly because the impair- 
ment of his memory will probably cause him to forget, but also 
because it becomes a habit of his life to put off whatever requires 
exertion and the exercise of will-power. The duties remain undone, 
business is not attended to, or is carried on almost mechanically. 

The captivity of the opium user's will causes him to fail in at- 
tention to what he shonld remember or perform. He does- not fix 
his thought upon what he sees and hears. He promises, and before 
the echo of his word has died away he forgets. It is because he 
promised mechanically ; he did not give attention to his own words, 
his will was torpid, and did not add its confirmation to his 
promise, as in the old days, when in full possession of its royal 
power it would have done. The will being in such vassalage, the 
whole life is filled with weakness and failure. 

The impairment of memory by the opium habit, already referred 
to, extends both to the facts and circumstances external to one's self, 
and to his own inner experiences. He fails to recollect his own ideas 
and emotions. His days are no longer linked together in his con- 
sciousness, but he lives, each day, each hour, of his opium torpor, by 
, itself, almost without remembrance of his more recent past, and 



28 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

careless of the future. He thus misses that which is the best result 
of living — the attainment of experience. He does not gain wisdom 
from the lessons of life. He only forgets what he reads, so that 
books cease to add to his stores of information. He may read and 
re-read, but facts and principles seem to leak through his brain, like 
rain falling upon a bed of barren sand, fertilizing and refreshing 
nothing. It is often the case that those who habitually use opium 
or morphine almost wholly cease to read anything but the lightest 
kind of literature, and even such books they will go over again and 
again. They retain so little of what they read that a book will be 
almost new to them if read once a week. 

The sentimental and social elements of the nature of the typi- 
cal opium user are touched and deadened by the paralyzing effects 
of his indulgence. His emotions do not respond, as they once did, 
and as those of a healthy nature will, to the joys and sorrows of this 
human life of ours. His laughter lacks the genuine ring of merri- 
ment. As for tears, their very springs seem to be dried up. If his 
usual dose be delayed or lessened ; he may become hysterical, and 
tears may flow at the lightest provocation ; but while in his usual 
condition, he will look even at the sorrow which touches him most 
nearly with dull, unwet eyes. He does not feel deeply; his emo- 
tions are deadened. He frequently exhibits, in trying circumstan- 
ces, what people may call "good nature ;" but it is not that cheerful 
spirit which, while it sees and comprehends trial and perplexity and 
loss, bears them with a bright courage, fronting adversity with a 
brave smile. The opium user's freedom from gloom and repining and 
ill fortune arises from his apathy. It is easiest to take what comes, 
without exerting himself to welcome or to resist. 

His social nature undergoes a similar change. Very often he 
becomes a silent member of his own household, withdrawing himself 
from its conversation and its interests. That little world is, to him 
like the great world, dim and only partially real to his thought and 
feeling. He avoids society. He does not care to make new acquaint- 
ances nor even to keep up old friendships, for this would require 
exertion and compel him to go out of the life he is living, — a life 
lived in the narrow circle which the dim light of opium reveals. He 
does not enjoy social company ; his mind is too sluggish, and his 
aversion to leave his little opium-world too great. He is happiest 
when left alone to his own vague thoughts and useless dreaming. 
How many thousands of the women of this country are living most 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 29 

unnatural and most useless lives because they have become enslaved 
by the opium habit ! Their faces lose the beauty of youth and grow 
sallow ; their countenances no longer respond to the play of thoughts 
and feelings, There is no longer any activity of mind or emotion, 
or at the most only an occasional outburst of unnatural vivacity 
which causes the listeners to look at each other with wonder. As 
the habit grows more and more confirmed, its shadow deepens in the 
soul and in the life. The distaste for exertion and for society which 
it causes, results in neglect of social activities. Even household 
duties are in time postponed or carelessly performed. All that is 
finest, most helpful, and most winning is destroyed, affection sadly 
departs from the fireside and comfort from the home. 

It is not possible that the opium user's moral nature shomd be 
unaffected by his practice. The tendency of the habit to destroy 
truthfulness has often been referred to by writers on this subject. 
How can it be otherwise ? The one upon whom the opium habit has 
become fixed carries with him a secret shame. The endeavor to hide 
his practice is constantly in his thought. There is hardly an arti- 
fice, a subterfuge, a deceit which he will not adopt in order to keep 
it secret. No matter how high his standing, or whether he be 
preacher or layman, the instinct for concealment is stronger than 
his respect for the truth, or his impulses toward open and manly 
acts. Even Coleridge, clergyman as he was in early life, an eloquent 
discourser upon the moralities to the end of his days, would deceive 
and cheat in order to procure his tremendous draughts of opium 
tincture. Not that it would be just to blame him for such conduct, 
as we would blame those who do not use opiates, for deceit or false- 
hood. The laudanum was a necessity; the outcry of his whole 
nature for it was fiercer than even the clamors of hunger and thirst 
are in the starving. But whether to be blamed or not for his 
specific acts of dishonesty, the fact remains that through the opium 
habit a noble being, endowed by nature with moral attributes of the 
highest kind, became depraved. And his constant efforts to conceal 
the habit, and the underhand methods used to obtain the "drug," 
without attracting notice or awakening suspicion, must necessarily 
effect the opium user's truthfulness and honesty in other things. 
That it does have this influence upon the moral nature, causing it 
to deteriorate as a whole, is the case almost without exception. 

But even worse than this, is the effect upon the opium user of 
his consciousness that the secret which he is hiding in his breast is 



30 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

a shameful one. He conceals his habit because he is ashamed of it. 
Growing more and more apathetic concerning all other things, he 
retains his sensitiveness as to this. As long as the habit continues 
this sensitiveness never leaves him. It is only the really cured 
opium user who, grateful for his deliverance, and rejoicing in his lib- 
erty and "newness of life," has courage to speak of the bondage 
from which he has escaped. But before his cure, he felt within him- 
self a constant sense of shame. All through the day it weighed 
upon his heart, and at evening when he lay down upon his pillow, 
the feeling grew stronger and more bitter. Regrets, self-reproaches, 
pangs of self-accusation, all the voices of a rebuking conscience 
which torment and murder sleep, thronged around him crying 
"guilty!" "guilty!" Even if by little or no fault of his own his 
enslavement began, still the sense of concealed disgrace is almost as 
strong and as fatal to self-respect as that of positive guilt. 

No one who must hide from all eyes such an evil secret, can help 
being injured in all his better nature. He has a sense of falseness ; 
of not being what he seems to be. He knows well that if his friends 
and acquaintances knew what he is hiding they would not greet him 
as cordially, nor continue to hold him in esteem as they now do. 
And being all the time conscious of the secret, and of his shame, he 
becomes degraded in his own eyes. He loses his self-respect, and 
when that is lost the process of deterioration becomes general and 
rapid. The processes of physical and moral degradation go on side 
by side, or, if physical debasement be the most rapid, that of the 
moral nature may be the most repulsive and complete. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN, 31 



CHAPTER IV. 

MORPHIA MANIA. — CONTINUED. 

"The pains of hell gat hold upon me, " — Bible. 

There are two classes of confirmed opium users and morphagists 
who have realized to the full extent what it is to victims of the 
opium fiend. They are (1st) those who, after long subjugation, 
have rallied all their failing energies, and made a determined effort 
to forsake the habit, and ( 2d ) those whose digestive organs have 
temporarily refused to act upon the usual dose of the opiate and 
therefore fail to supply the system with the poison which has be- 
come so essential to life itself. These two classes of opium users, and 
they alone of all people that live on earth, have actual knowledge of 
what opium or morphine habituation involves. Every habitual 
user of the " drug" soon discovers that its tender mercies are cruel, 
but those above mentioned have passed beyond the Limbo of all 
lesser pains, and have felt the burning of the Tartarian fires. 

Those who belong to the first class spoken of are all who, of their 
own determination, make a desperate effort to turn and re-ascend the 
teep declivity down which they have so easily come. They may be 
led to this resolve by the pressure of poverty, which in view of the in- 
creased amount taken, seems to make the necessary quantity of their 
opiate unattainable in the future. In other cases the victim sud- 
denly rallies and determines to break the fetters which have held 
him in a long duress of stupor and lifelessness. He sees all at once, 
and almost clearly, what he has become, what he has lost, and how 
barren of all that makes life sweet and bright is his whole future. 
Hope and ambition paralyzed, wealth failing or dissipated, the 
dreams of his youth all unfulfilled, his social position lowered, his 
self-respect gone, he sees himself sinking fast toward a condition 
in which there will be "none so poor to do him reverence." This 
hideous vision of the past, and present and future, rises before him 
in some hour when his possession by the opium devil is perhaps less 
powerful than usual, and he resolves, in desperation, that his life 
shall not be wholly spoiled. He will deliver himself from this 
" Death-in-lif e. " His whole existence shall not be made an utter 
failure by the benumbing tyranny of the " drug ! " 



32 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

The African explorer and. missionary, Livingstone, gives a 
graphic account in one of his volumes, of an attack upon himself by 
a lion which crippled one of his arms for life. The animal seized him 
in its tremendous jaws, and shook him as easily and violently as a 
terrier shakes a rat. And the effect of it was to cause all sensation 
of fright and fear to cease utterly. He felt no pain from the crunch- 
ing teeth and shattered hone ; he was not afraid of the death which 
seemed so near. There was some strange, anodynic power in the 
shaking which he had received that caused all feeling to cease. 

But, when Livingstone had been rescued from the lion's jaws, 
there came a reaction, and fever and pain. And to the opium or 
morphine victim, gripped by a fiercer and more terrible monster 
than any wild beast of the jungle, there comes, when he rallies from 
his torpor, and endeavors to loosen the clutch of the fangs which 
hold him, an experience of indescribable torture, involving the 
whole nature in its agonies. A more full reference to this experi- 
ence will be found in another chapter of this book. For the present 
it is enough to say that the chief result of such unaided attempts to 
escape from the clutches of the opium monster, is simply to plunge 
the sufferer into the opium user's Hell — the Gehenna of burning 
torment and hopeless despair ! While Dr. J. Y. B., of Southern Illi- 
nois, was under my treatment, he said, in reference to this subject : 

"When I had been taking thirty grains of sulphate of morphia 
every twenty-four hours for a long time, I got to thinking one day 
how the "drug" was utterly ruining my life and killing me by 
inches, and I resolved firmly for the first time after forming the 
habit, to stop its use. And for four days I did stop. But if I had 
gone without it one day, or even a few hours, longer I should have 
been a raving maniac. No brain could endure such agonies for any 
longer period. ' Hell tortures ' is no name for them." 

The second class of those who know all the terrible significance 
of the term " habitual opium using," are they who continue to use 
the "drug" until nature refuses to respond to the call made upon it 
by its customary dose. In many such cases, the system, after pa- 
tiently accepting for years the unnatural poisonous "potions" forced 
upon it, and necessary to it from long use, at last refuses — refuses 
to be stimulated by its accustomed narcotic, and without warning 
rejects the "drug." The victim then suddenly finds that the "dev- 
il's manna," upon which his very life depended, can no longer be 
taken. What follows? If this condition becomes permanent, 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 33 

insanity and death are not far distant. Its effects are terrible. 
The first feeling which it awakens is that of alarm, deepening grad- 
ually into a horrible and f orboding fear ; and if the system does not 
rally, and again respond to the "drug," death by convulsions and 
spasms comes speedily. 

Opium users who take the "drug' by the stomach often find 
that organ in a state of semi-paralysis, from what is called an 
"over-dose. " The first and usual portion of the opiate having failed 
to produce its accustomed effects, because it lies inert, undigested, 
in the stomach, another one is taken. That, too, failing to influence 
the physical system and quiet the mind, still another, and another, 
dose is swallowed. Then, as an overloaded camel which has fallen 
down mid-way in the desert path and is beaten with frantic excite- 
ment by its affrighted rider, whose very life depends upon its own, 
rises and staggers on its way, so the stomach at length is goaded into 
action by the mass of poison with which it is burdened, and pours 
the whole of it, almost at once, into the blood. But the system of 
the sufferer, notwithstanding its habituation to the "drug," cannot 
endure so tremendous a load of poison, and he passes through sleep 
to death. 

If the morphine victim fears to arouse his digestive organs by 
such desperate means, he may preserve his life for a time, but if the 
torpidity of the stomach continues for three or four days, or if, 
affrighted at the warning he has received, and which has shown him 
the fearful end of an opium user's life, he tries to abandon the 
habit, he passes into tortures beyond the power of words to describe. 
He pays for every pleasant sensation in the past with agonies inten- 
sified a hundred fold. Every hour of false opium quiet must have 
its compensation of sleepless torment. The avenger is upon him. 
A hundred voices within him will shriek out the awful question 
"what shall we do to be saved?" But, alas! too often, the only 
answer is a horrible silence, a gathering darkness deepening into 
insanity or death. 



34 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

CHAPTEK V. 

THE GROWTH AND EXTENT OF THE HABIT. 

Opium is the Mephistopheles of the age ! Insidious and deceit- 
ful in its character, it has permeated all classes of society with its 
baleful influence, and in thousands of homes it holds an autocratic 
sway. The physician daily meets it in some of its Protean forms, 
for it has defiled the sacred desk, sullied the pure ermine of justice, 
ruthlessly entered every profession ; nay, fastened its terrible and 
pitiless fangs upon every class and condition of our people ! 

A curse so widespread and so disastrous demands the earnest at- 
tention of thinking men and women ; and yet but few are aware of 
its extent and power. Medical text books are silent on the subject ; 
even the medical profession seems unaware of its magnitude, and in 
every instance in which it comes under their treatment, they are 
unable to cope with its influence. So little has morphism been 
comprehended by physicians, that they have almost universally re- 
garded it as an incurable disease, and by throwing it out of their list 
and passing it by, have confessed themselves inadequate to the task 
of curing it. Usually they have relegated this work to the patient 
himself, advising a sudden cessation, or, perhaps, a rapid reduction, 
with nothing to support the system during the trying ordeal except 
a few alleged physiological antipathies, which for the most part are 
useless as sustaining agents, and wholly without curative value. 
The "drug" is used so secretly, the habit is so carefully hidden be- 
neath the surface of social life, that the uninitiated are utterly 
ignorant of its rapid growth and present proportions. And yet so 
general has the practice become, that as one looks at the past and 
regards the future, he is appalled at the terrible picture which rises 
before him. 

This is the nervous age of the world's history. A progressive 
civilization has left its impress upon the mental and physical pow- 
ers of man, and brought with it a variety of disorders of a nervous 
character unknown in the heretofore. They are different from the 
diseases of a century ago ; they are consequent upon the changed 
condition of the people's life. They are a natural result of the in- 
tense mental strain necessary to the carrying on of new and great 
enterprises, the attainment of professional or political success, and 



OR. THE FETTERS BROKEN. 35 

the maintenance of society. The result is that Americans are 
largely subject to neurasthenic troubles, growing out of excessive 
waste of nerve force. We live too fast ; we do as much work in a 
day as our forefathers did in a week, and, physically, we are not so 
well qualified for work as they were. We eat too fast ; we think 
and read, and even take our recreation, at a high rate of speed. 
This phenomenal method of living can have hut one result, viz : a 
rapid destruction of nerve tissue, a wasteful expenditure of nerve 
force, a breaking down of the nervous system, premature decrepi- 
tude, and finally death. Americans as a rule die early ; they live 
their lives too quickly, and pass away at a time when they should 
be in the prime of a vigorous manhood. 

In order to repair the waste which is constantly going on, and 
recuperate the system for each day's duties as they present them- 
selves, many resort to stimulants. In some ranks of life, alcoholic 
liquors are commonly used ; but among professional and business 
men and women, the use of narcotics has steadily increased during 
the last fifty years. Particularly is this true of opium and its alka- 
loid, morphia. Fifty years ago, gum opium was used exclusively by 
those addicted to the "drug," but morphine has largely superseded 
the original ^uice of the poppy. The ancients paid sacred homage 
to Morpheus, god of sleep and dreams ; and now, in the midst of an 
age of intelligence and advancement, we find a vast army of men 
and women bowing at the shrine of the arch-fiend Morphia, named 
after the classic deity of old. 

The. majority of those using the "drug," now employ the sul- 
phate of morphia, chiefly because of its potency (it being six times 
stronger than the gum opium), its small bulk, and the rapidity with 
which it effects the system. It has been stated that the greater 
proportion inject the solution subcutaneously by means of the hypo- 
dermic syringe, and my experience leads me to believe that this class 
is in the majority. I find that the general method is to take the 
sulphate of morphia hypodermically. 

If it were possible to paint all the horrors, the agonies and woes 
which this deceitful "drug" has wrought upon humanity, it would 
form a picture of unparalleled misery and despair. The mere recital 
of figures and the facts which they teach, will, however, be sufficient 
to stir up a spirit of inquiry and investigation. They are startling 
enough to cause alarm, and lead us to seek some explanation of so 
dire a curse and some method for stopping its sweeping ravages. 



36 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

Thirty years ago, the quantity of opium imported into the 
United States was 109,536 pounds. The first importation of mor- 
phia occurred the same year, and consisted of but twelve ounces. In 
1871, ten years later, the import of opium was 315,121 pounds ; and of 
morphia 237 ounces. In 1880, the opium imported was 533,451 pounds ; 
and 8,822 ounces of morphia were received at the port of New York. 
Add to these figures about ten per cent, for smuggled opium, and we 
have some idea of the quantity then used in the United States. A 
comparison between 1861 and 1871 shows a fearful increase in ten 
years, yet the difference between 1871 and 1880 shows a still larger 
increase in nine years. The revenue statistics unmistakably show 
that the consumption of opium is rapidly increasing, and that too, 
at a rate far in excess of the increase of population. In 1880 this 
country received 97,000 pounds of opium from China, 326,975 from 
England, and 92,633 from Turkey in Asia. The crude opium, after 
reaching this country undergoes different processes at the hands of 
manufacturers, a large portion of it being made into the sulphate of 
morphia. 

In 1876 it was estimated that there were 225,000 opium users in 
this country, at least two-thirds of them belonging to the better 
classes of society. To-day it is estimated that there are not less than 
one and one-half millions. 

One and one-half millions men and women in America slaves of 
a " drug ! " The thought of slavery is, in itself, abhorrent ; but when 
we remember that this is a slavery the most damnable on earth ; a 
bondage to a soulless, merciless tyrant ; a captivity whose daylight 
is Despair and whose Hope is Death, the impressive fact fills our 
minds with pity and sympathy ! 

It will thus be seen that on an average three in every hundred are 
slaves to the "drug" in some form. The saddest feature of this is, 
that the majority of the victims are women. Not poor, degraded, 
outcast women, although this class helps to swell the list, but those 
occupying high positions in the world. Brilliant society ladies, 
zealous workers in good causes, literary toilers, ambitious women, 
have fallen beneath the witching power of morphia. The simple 
fact that women form by far the larger proportion of those using the 
"drug" is one that should excite universal pity, the more so as they 
are not generally responsible for contracting the habit, as will here- 
after be shown. 

Some localities have a greater proportion than others, the South 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 37 

having ftiore victims than the North, and the city more than the 
country. Texas is said to have more opium users in proportion to 
its population than any State in the Union, and I believe the claim 
to he well founded, jl he effects of the war upon the South were very 
marked in this matter, as since that time the habit has largely in- 
creased in the Southern States. In Albany, New York, there is 
annually consumed 3,500 pounds of opium, 5,500 ounces of morphia, 
and about 500,000 pills of morphia. In Chicago, Illinois, there are 
about 25,000 persons addicted to the habit, and the leading druggists, 
according to a recent statement, say that their principal customers are 
ladies. In St. Louis, Missouri, it is estimated that there are not less 
than 20,000, while many Southern cities show, in proportion to popula- 
tion, even higher figures than these. I know small towns where the 
average is five in every hundred, and the habit is constantly increasing. 

The amount annually paid out for the "drug" by these victims 
is about $15,000,000; an immense sum, which is deflected from the 
proper channels of industry and commerce, and devoted to a vice 
which is destructive to both body and soul, and detrimental to the 
best interests of society. 

Three grains of morphine will, as a general rule, cause death. 
This fact is not generally known to those unacquainted with the 
properties of morphine, but it ought to be well understood by every- 
body. Our high schools ought to teach this fact, and also the 
greater truth, that when a man can so accustom his system to the 
use of a poison in doses more than sufficient to cause death in ordi- 
nary cases, he subjects his system to abnormal effects, which must 
have a disastrous, and in time, a deadly influence upon the mind and 
the body. 

The records show us that it is comparatively an easy matter to 
learn the use of morphine in excessive quantities ; and when the 
reader bears in mind that only three grains are necessary to termi- 
nate life, he can appreciate the significance of the following illus- 
trations : 

A lady in central Illinois took 60 grains of morphine every 24 
hours ; another took a gallon of laudanum every 22 days. A physi- 
cian in Texas took 60 grains of morphine every 24 hours ; a lawyer 
in the northern part of Illinois took 40 grains ; a farmer in Missouri 
took 40 grains ; a physician in St. Louis took 25 grains hypodermi- 
cally ( equal to 50 grains by the mouth ) ; a physician in New York 
took 72 grains every day, enough to kill 24 ordinary men. These 



38 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

cases can be multiplied ad infinitum ; suffice it to say that the un- 
fortunate beginner rapidly increases his dose from i or I of a grain 
until he reaches a quantity which seems almost incredible. A list of 
150 cases shows an average of 15 grains per day, the quantities rang- 
ing from one grain to 40 grains, and in my opinion this average will 
be found generally correct. It is difficult to ascertain exact figures 
in relation to this part of the subject, as the opium user invariably 
understates the extent of his habituation. It is only after he has 
been restored to a normal condition that he will admit the truth. 
The figures I have given are taken from my own records, and are as 
accurate as they can possibly be made. They should be sufficient to 
arouse the careless and indifferent to examine this important mat- 
ter for themselves, and carefully weigh the statements made in the 
succeeding chapters. The different phases of the opium and mor- 
phine habit, as therein presented, form a chain of facts, an array of 
truths which, though startling, may prove of countless value to the 
friends of our common humanity. 



CHAPTER YI. 

PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.— NERVOUS DISEASES AND 
THEIR ORIGIN. 

The human body is marvelously and wondrously made ; so deli- 
cate and accurate in its varied mechanism that a slight injury to 
one part will often effect the workings of the whole machinery, and 
cause a difficulty which may suspend the action of important func- 
tions. In some cases, through a complication of causes, it may stop 
the wheels of life, and death ensues. In a system, every part of 
which is so harmoniously organized, any injury to a part of the 
structural formation must have its effect upon the whole organism 
to a greater or less extent, the different parts being so intimately 
connected with each other. The introduction of anything delete- 
rious or poisonous into the system is at once repelled by nature. 
The blood, the liver, the kidneys, the stomach, the secretories, 
all unite in protesting against the intrusion, seeking to expel the 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 39 

intruder. A general revulsion ensues, nor does it cease until the 
poison has been thrown out and entirely eliminated. 

True as this is, it is also certain that poisonous substances can 
be taken into the system in small quantities, and assimilated, and 
to degrees increased, so that eventually systemic changes are made, 
and the body becomes accustomed to the abnormal condition, 
and finally accepts it as its normal condition. This has been re- 
peatedly evidenced in the formation of diseases arising out of the 
excessive use of narcotics and stimulants. There is now a class of 
diseases which, having a neurotic origin, are developed by stimu- 
lants and narcotics until a new complication arises which gives 
them a much more important and dangerous character. It is not 
my purpose to speak of the different branches of this class in detail, 
including as it does, dipsomania, inebriety, opiumania, morphism, 
etc., but only to state the general facts and leave them for the con- 
sideration of the thoughtful reader. 

There is a striking contrast, mental as well as physical, between 
the people of this century and the preceding one. It is traceable to 
direct causes, and is not so much a growth of civilization as it is a 
change of the conditions of life. It is expected that a people, a na- 
tion, will undergo changes in a century; these will occur in the out- 
ward appearance, in the expressions of language, in the processes of 
thought and in the manifestations of feelings. But they are the 
natural result of a people's growth in civilization ; they are conse- 
quent upon increased knowledge, upon the diffusion of education, 
the progress of scientific research, the development of art, the culti- 
vation of literature, and other ennobling pursuits. This has been 
illustrated throughout all history. Look at one period ; examine its 
laws, its poetry, its literature, its political economy, its industries, 
its portraits of the people then living, its architecture, etc. Com- 
pare that period with one a hundred years later, and how different ! 
The laws are more humane ; the poetry is purer ; the literature is 
more classical ; the statesman has a broader view and more compre- 
hensive grasp of political economy ; the industries are reaching out 
into new fields and filling new marts with their products ; the peo- 
ple have keener, brighter faces, and a more clearly defined contour, 
while the houses are larger, more comfortably built and better 
arranged for health. It is so all through the long catalogue ; you 
find change stamped upon everything, but it is simply the change 
of growth ; it is the process of growing older and profiting by the 



40 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

information brought with the years ; it is the development of the 
butterfly from the chrysalis ; the growth of the boy into the manhood 
of strength and power. 

But during the last century a change has come over our people 
which is different from that of growth. There has been a remark- 
able, almost phenomenal, spirit of enterprise abroad in the earth, 
and it has swept the nations forward as though on the crest of a 
mighty wave. Wonderful strides have been made in every depart- 
ment. Invention has sought out strange and unsuspected combina- 
tions ; valuable discoveries of scientific and general worth have been 
made ; the arts and sciences have trodden unknown fields ; commerce 
has thrown her mighty forces across continents and oceans, floating 
her flag in silent seas, and across the pathless desert, heralding the 
advent of civilization and progress. The movement of the world is 
onward, and to-day it is carrying forward its gigantic enterprises at 
a speed undreamed of by those who lived even fifty years ago. A 
growth so marvelous, and yet so rapid, has imposed mental burdens 
upon the people which the physical system could not carry without 
foreign aid. The modern method of cooking and eating is enough 
to impair the digestive powers and injure the body ; while the mod- 
ern method of living is, and must be, productive of serious injury to 
the physical system. It is noticeable that the ages do not bring us 
any higher development of the physical man ; but each succeeding 
age shows no positive degeneracy, however. The body not being per- 
fectly fitted for its work, it follows that an increase in the mental 
burdens must be fraught with disastrous consequences. And the 
spirit of the age, that restless, feverish, speculative, exciting spirit 
of enterprise, forces men to accept and shoulder responsibilities and 
mental tasks far in excess of either their physical or mental powers. 
Then there comes the over-exertion, the mental strain, the over- 
taxing of the system, until it breaks down under the accumulated 
and overpowering weight. 

This increased mental activity has had the effect of enlarging 
the brain, much the same as the arm of the blacksmith becomes 
enlarged and developed on account of his constant use of that 
member. But with the enlargement of the brain we have a finer 
and more delicate structure, and hence it is not so well adapted to 
a constant mental strain. In other words, it is more easily dis- 
turbed in its functions, and consequently leads to complications in 
those organic forces connected with it. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 41 

Hence we have what are now known as Nervous Diseases, — a 
class that was unknown a hundred years ago, and which is, pecu- 
liarly, a product of our progressive civilization. As a people, Amer- 
icans are more subject to nervous disorders than any other nation, 
because the waste of nerve tissue and depletion of nerve force is 
greater on account of their methods of life and business. 

It would almost seem from these statements as though men 
alone were the sufferers. I have referred chiefly to the exhaustive- 
ness of professional and mercantile life at the present time. But 
while these classes furnish a large army of victims, it must be re- 
membered that women are liberally represented. They are specially 
subject to troubles having their origin in the nerve centres, and 
which assume many different forms. It is not difficult to find the 
cause of all this ; a mere glance at the ordinary life of a woman 
will show us the secret. The present system of education must be 
held responsible in a great measure, as its tendency is to increase 
the activity and susceptibility of the nervous system by diminish- 
ing the nutrition of the brain and thus promote organic disease. 
Among young girls we find headaches, somnambulism, sleeplessness, 
hydrocephalus, night terrors, epilepsy and kindred troubles, which 
undoubtedly arise from an over-stimulation of the nerve centres, 
brought on by the pressure of the present educational system. It 
has been frequently said that our schools are responsible for the 
larger portion of nervous diseases, and there is no doubt that 
the foundation of a life of misery is often laid during the educa- 
tional period of life. 

The domestic cares and demands of society are another fruitful 
cause of nervous diseases among women, especially when they do not 
take sufficient care of themselves, as is generally the case. The 
clothing is often wholly inadequate to protect them from the 
weather, and is seldom in consonance with the rational laws of 
health. There is a tendency to daintiness rather than wholsome- 
ness of food ; the emotional and sentimental passions are constantly 
stimulated; the nerves are sometimes put to a severe tension, while 
at others extreme lassitude prevails. Such flagrant violations of 
natural laws are necessarily productive of disease. 

Quite recently the term Neurasthenia, or Nerve Exhaustion, 
has been applied to a large class of diseases, and it is now well known 
that neurasthenic tendencies prevail among us to an alarming 
extent. It has several clinical varieties, but the same general 



42 i FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

symptoms prevail in all cases. It is manifested in many functional 
forms. These may be divided into two classes, the mental and phy- 
sical. The mental faculties become confused, and it is difficult to 
think consecutively and clearly, while the memory loses its grasp of 
previous events and fails to perform its duties satisfactorily. In 
this condition sleep is generally out of the question, and insomnia 
aggravates the nervous condition of the mental forces. The mind 
is quite active, but is unable to bear any burden, and incapable of 
any labor except that of the most ordinary kind. It not unfre- 
quently happens that the patient is tormented with fears lest he 
should lose his reasoning powers entirely. 

The physical symptoms are varied. The appetite appears to be 
capricious ; the patient sometimes eating to excess, but oftener hav- 
ing no appetite at all. Foods of all kinds will become obnoxious, 
and there is sometimes nausea, vomiting, and consequently, emacia- 
tion. Depression of the spirits is a very common and general symp- 
tom, accompanied with great lassitude and nervous prostration. 

All these symptoms, especially the mental one, are not usually 
present in an equal degree, but may increase, diminish, or at times 
disappear, proportionately to the leading symptoms of the disease. 

In its early stages the sufferer is very apt to regard it as only a 
temporary debility arising from a disordered stomach, the state of 
the weather, or some similar cause. He seeks a remedy and, unfor- 
tunately, he often takes something which aggravates the disease. 
The sale of neurotic remedies is rapidly increasing, and this in itself 
is an important fact. The sufferer seeks stimulation, he wants to 
be " braced up," as he expresses it, and he finds in alcoholic liquors 
a powerful stimulant ; or he desires exhilaration of the mental and 
restfulness of the nerve forces, and he resorts to opium or mor- 
phine. In order to build up his system he takes a stimulant or a 
narcotic. The result is that after the first effects wear off he is left 
in a worse state of depression and languor than at first, and the 
remedy has to be taken again. Time only increases the quantity 
used, until at length he becomes a drunkard or a confirmed opium 
user. If the skeletons could be dragged out of millions of closets 
to-day they would be found labelled " Alcohol " or " Morphine." 

The addition of a new factor complicates the disease, or rather 
creates a new and more dangerous one, and thus we have dipsoma- 
nia, opiumania and morphiamania. As stated in a previous chapter, 
the victims of morphine have steadily increased in number until 



OB, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 43 

♦ 

now they aggregate, in the United States alone, millions of souls ! 
It is of this class that I wish particularly to speak, and show the 
special effects of morphine upon the human system. 

I speak specifically of Neurasthenia, or Nerve Exhaustion, in 
another chapter. 



CHAPTER VII. 

PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.— PHYSIO LOGICAL EFFECTS. 

Opium, in its various forms, is the most seductive agent known 
to the materia medica, and as such it holds a distinctive position of 
its own. It occupies a place which cannot he so well filled by any 
other drug, and produces effects unlike those produced by any other 
agent.. It is this seductive and insidious feature which has enabled 
it to assume a position of masterful authority where it was first 
introduced as an obedient servant. Its first mission is to allay pain, 
and this it does so readily that the patient, like che Arab of the des- 
ert, regards it as " God's best gift to man." The " drug," however, 
quietly, yet surely, works its sinuous way until it completely cap- 
tures the citadels of both body and mind. 

Opium produces different effects according to the temperament, 
the condition and the education of the user. Its first action is to 
stimulate the physical powers and intensify the mental forces. It 
lifts the patient out of himself; he rises superior to all petty annoy- 
ances and difficulties, and feels capable of great labor and endurance. 
Some are lulled to sleep by its soothing influence, and easily fall into 
a dreamy semi -consciousness of unalloyed pleasure. Others again 
find their mental faculties heightened and quickened to such an ex- 
tent that they are able to perform literary work with marvelous 
facility : and when they sleep, the active mind weaves around them 
magnificent visions of unheard of splendor beyond the ordinary con- 
ception of the human intellect. 

These peculiar characteristics of opium and morphine have been 
the means of ensnaring tens of thousands into their use. They are 
not only subtle, but also potent. Each day the victim is brought 
into a closer relationship with the "drug;" each day it makes new 



44 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

conquests, and although Nature resists it at every step, yet it makes 
sure and certain headway. It has wonderful cumulative power; 
every inch of ground gained is occupied, fortified and garrisoned, 
and the work of conquest pushed on still further. The system may 
hold out for a long time, hut the final result is uniformly the same ; 
the tired organs succumb to the ceaseless attacks of the "drug," at 
last, and with a peculiar facility they adapt themselves to the new 
condition of things. The " drug " now assumes a different character ; 
it is not taken for the purpose of exhilaration and mental activity, 
nor yet to relieve the pains of disease. The system simply demands 
so much opium or morphine each day, because it will assuage the 
terrible pain and destroying agony produced by itself, and in 
which the victim cannot live. The "drug" has now lost its former 
office as an angel of mercy, and has become the black avenger of a 
wasted life. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.— PHYSICAL AND MENTAL 
PATHOLOGY. 

Although opium or morphine using is usually termed a " habit," 
it is, properly speaking, a disease, and, as such, is susceptible of path- 
ological demonstration. As this book is intended for the general 
reader, as well as the educated physician and scientist, I shall not 
here attempt a learned disquisition on this important branch of the 
subject, but shall speak briefly and plainly, so that it will be readily 
understood. Were I to do otherwise I should defeat one of the prin- 
cipal objects of this work, viz: to bring before the people a clear, 
comprehensive and accurate account of one of the greatest evils of 
the present day. 

The nervous system is very complex in its character, extending 
to every part of the human body. It is divided and sub-divided 
into many distinct classes, yet each having a relationship to the 
other. The central nervous system consists of ( 1 ) the brain and 
spinal cord ; and ( 2 ) of nerves that begin in various parts of the 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 45 

body and end in the brain or spinal cord, called afferent or centrip- 
etal nerves, and of nerves which begin in the brain or spinal cord 
and end in different parts of the body, called efferent or centrifugal 
nerves. The afferent nerves, as the name implies, carry sensation 
to the brain, while the efferent nerves carry motor force from the 
brain to the muscles. They are sometimes so closely interwoven as 
to form a complete network, and are termed mixed neryes, yet 
each separate nerve fibre has a direct line of communication of its 
own, and is encased in a sheath or membrane which acts in the same 
manner as the covering of a telegraph wire which prevents the 
electric current from being transmitted to any other medium. Nerve 
fibres are simply conductors of sensation, as the afferent nerves ; 
or, motor impulses, as the efferent nerves. The mind decides that 
the right hand shall strike a blow. The brain transmits the impulse 
or motor force to the muscles of the arm, which contract, and the 
blow is struck. Here we have a simple illustration of the action of 
the efferent nerves. 

Sensation may be classed as a force. Those feelings or impres- 
sions which are conducted by the afferent nerves are in the nature 
of a force. Commencing at a given part of the body it travels with 
an unknown and inconceivable rapidity to the brain, and is then 
perceived by the mind. The nerve fibre and the brain are both 
unconscious of their conductivity; it is the mind alone which takes 
actual cognizance of the impression or sensation which is conducted 
by the afferent nerves. The sensation of pain is an illustration of 
this. Pain is a force. A force, in this sense, is a motion of the 
molecules composing the nerve tissue. It is this rapid molecular 
motion which is the vehicle or carrier of sensation to any given 
point. So, if the finger is touched with the point of a needle, the 
nerve fibre receives a slight sensation, which is instantaneously con- 
veyed to the brain, and the mind is conscious that the finger has 
touched a sharp point. But it the point of the needle is pressed 
into the finger, the nerve force is materially increased ; it rolls in on 
the brain with tremendous energy, and the mind becomes conscious 
of the distinct sensation of pain. The mind conveys the impres- 
sion to the motor region of the cerebro-spinal centre, the force wave 
rolls along the efferent, or motor nerves, to the hand, and it is in- 
stantly jerked away from the cause of pain. All this happens so 
quickly that it is impossible to measure the time. It is an instance 
of the complete action of the nervous forces. There is sensation, 



46 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

mental consciousness, pain and mobility, exercising the functions 
of both the afferent and efferent nerves which comprise the central 
nervous system. 

EFFECT OF OPIUM OR MORPHINE ON THE SYSTEM. 

We will now consider the effect produced by opium or morphine 
on the nerves and their functions. As pain is an increased motion 
of the molecules forming the nerve tissue, it is evident that the only 
way in which morphine can allay pain is to diminish or stop the 
motion of the molecules in cells. It can ease pain in no other way. 
As the nerves of sensation convey their impressions by molecular 
motion, and as the tendency of morphine is to arrest this functional 
activity of the molecules, it is a logical conclusion that the physio- 
logical action of opium is to diminish the natural forces of the ner- 
vous system. This is its primary action. It arrests the legitimate 
processes of nature and prevents the nerve fibres from fulfilling their 
accustomed duties. Morphine does even more than this. When the 
"drug" has been constantly used for a long time it produces an iso- 
meric change in the nerve fibre. This may result from the continued 
and excessive use of various drugs, as bromine, chloral, tobacco, 
alcohol, ether, opium and morphine. It is a distinct chemical change 
in the structure and action of the nerves, and is as positive and well 
defined as that produced in albumen in coagulation by heat. After 
this change has been produced, the nervous system requires the new 
food in order to perform its work. In its natural condition, its 
structure and functions were an equivalent of the food required by 
it. In its new state of isomerism, the structure and functions must 
be the equivalent of the natural food plus the "drug" which caused 
the change. S udied objectively, then, morphism is a condition of 
isomeric change produced in the nervous system by opium or mor- 
phine, and which necessitates the continued use of the "drug" in 
order to enable its functions to continue. Every nerve fibre of the 
opium user's body cries for the " drug," and cannot rest without it. 
It is an absolute necessity ; without it life becomes a hell of torment, 
and death a vision of hope. 

It will be seen that I interpret the physiology of the nervous 
system and the pathology of the opium habit in terms of matter 
and motion. They are both purely physical processes. The orbit of 
a moving molecule is unknown, whether it be that of the light ether 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 47 

or the medullary protoplasmic matter of a nerve. It is not unrea- 
sonable to suppose that the molecules of opium may hold a relation 
as close to those of the nerve in this pathology as are the molecules 
of hydrogen and oxygen in water. Be this as it may, there is a 
physical union between them, and a modification of movement of 
the molecules of the nerve that is the basis of the opium habit. 
The victim's nervous system has an added factor in its structure as 
well as function, and the victim is a man or woman plus opium or 
morphine. This being the foundation of the opium habit, it will 
readily be seen that the will has very little influence over it. The 
will is as much under the influence as is any other function of the 
nervous system, and, far from having any power over the habit, it is 
largely dominated by it. It is the general testimony of confirmed 
opium users that the will power is lost ; they are mere machines, 
carrying out the behests of an imperious master, and their own voli- 
tion is no longer a factor in the case. 



CHAPTER IX. 

PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.— THE SEQUENT PATHOLOGY. 

The condition above referred to is undoubtedly one of disease. 
There is life in the body, both physical and mental, but it is that 
state which is expressed by the term morphism, and not the healthy, 
natural life which is exhibited without opium. Morphism is that 
condition which results from the process of isomeric change, in 
which the functions of the nerves, the liver, spleen, kidneys, stom- 
ach, and other organs, are robbed of their natural powers, their 
energies are curtailed, and the entire system is subject to the palsy- 
ing influences of a destroying u drug." 

Sometimes morphine distributes itself evenly throughout the 
system, and the result is a somnolent consciousness, a dreamy inac- 
tivity, in which the mind takes no active part, but is entirely con- 
trolled by the " drug." In others it seems to awaken certain portions 
of the brain to excessive action, and then we have strange and 



48 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

marvelous flights of rhetorical fancy, weird dreams, grandiloquent 
expressions, and unheard-of visions. The action of opium is the 
same in all cases as far as it relates to the nervous system ; its spe- 
cial effects differ with individuals. In every case the long-continued 
use of the "drug" is followed by mental disease. This follows as a 
natural sequence. The nerves of sensation being diseased, the brain, 
which is their terminal point, must also be diseased, and hence the 
mind is unsound. One of the well-known causes of insanity is the 
isomeric change which is often produced in the brain by the exces- 
sive use of narcotics. This condition is known as opiumania, and 
when the victim reaches that stage he may be said to be completely 
given over to the power of a barbarous fiend. To go without the 
"drug," is to set every nerve-fibre, every muscle, nay, every particle 
of his body, frantically shouting for morphine ; in his convulsions, 
he is thrown to the floor as though by a superhuman agency; he 
foams at the mouth, his body and face are horribly contorted, and 
he writhes in dreadful agony. Of such a wretched being it may fitly 
be said, "He hath a devil." 

One of the earlier symptoms of this horrible consummation is 
the perversion of the mind. Thought becomes a fictitious relation 
between realities, the power of creating or originating grand or use- 
ful ideas is largely diminished, and the mind runs in narrow grooves. 
The emotions are besotted, and the natural affections are dulled ; he 
becomes fanciful, discontented, morose and irritable ; he is troubled 
with vertigo, headache, sleeplessness, loss of memory, energy and 
will-power. He loses his regard for truth, especially in reference to 
his habit, and his moral perceptions undergo a demoralizing change. 
These are the earlier results of the chemical action of the " drug" on 
the nervous system, and are a strong indication of the awful future 
which awaits him who continues its use. 

Athough I have dwelt principally upon the action of morphine 
upon the nervous system, it should be borne in mind that its power 
is extended to all the organs of the human body. This is not 
accomplished in a day or a month ; it is a gradual growth, as certain 
as it is gradual. Opium never loses ground, never gives up a point 
gained, never stops in its work, never calls a truce ; but is ever and 
always, day and night, enforcing its grim commands, and pushing 
its victories from stronghold to stronghold. Unless stopped by some 
superior power, it never halts short of a subjugation of every func- 
tion of the body and mind. This has been amply demonstrated by 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 49 

post mortem examinations, which have shown congestion of the 
brain ; an accumulation of fluid in the ventricles and arachnoid 
space ; catarrhal inflammation of the stomach and intestines ; con- 
gestion of the liver ; oedema of the lungs and cellular tissues ; dis- 
tension of the bladder, owing to the long paralysis of that organ, 
and the presence of opium in the urine. A disease so subtle, yet so 
pervasive, might well baffle the skill of the medical profession in 
the years gone by ; but we may rejoice that, at last, by the persistent 
efforts of science, its pathology stands revealed in all its ghastli- 
ness ; and the means of its complete eradication and cure have been 
made known to the world. 



CHAPTER X. 

METHODS OF TREAT3IENT. — THE PLAN OF " SELF-CURE." 
Is there no balm in Gilead ? —Bible. 

It is only within the last fifteen years that the subject of the 
opium and morphine habit and its treatment, has been brought 
prominently before the world. I think I can truthfully say that it 
it is only within the same period that the medical profession have 
bestowed upon it any large degree of thought and attention. Dur- 
ing the term mentioned, the habit, and various methods of treating 
it, have been brought into more and more prominence. Members of 
the profession have advocated alleged physiological antipathies in 
the medical journals. "Antidotes," "Remedies," and "Cures" 
have been "invented," advertised and pushed by non-professionals 
until they are as numerous as the harvest which sprang from the 
tilth of Cadmus, and his broadcasting of dragon's teeth. The busi- 
ness of " curing " the opium and morphine habit has become a new 
hydra. As one "discovery" fails and ceases, another, like a new 
head, takes its place, with lips as thirsty and jaws as strong, to 
drain the very life-blood of its victims. Many thousands of opium 
users have found that this monstrous, many-headed leech is only 
less exhausting and fatal than the opium disease itself. It is my 
purpose to describe and discuss, with all possible accuracy and 



50 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

fairness, the various methods of treating the opium disease. And at 
the outset I will speak of that one which is still believed by the 
great majority of physicians to be the only means of recovery for 
their patients of this class, viz : that of overcoming the habit by 
'gradual reduction" of the daily doses of the "drug." As this 
method is so frequently tried by sufferers Without reference to med- 
ical advice, it has been called that of u self -cure." 

The first thought of the opium or morphine user, whose opiate- 
life has reached a crisis, is to cure himself, without seeking the 
assistance of medicine. He usually does not ask the aid or counsel 
of a physician, for the instinct of concealment continues even to 
the latest stages of his habit, and he shrinks from revealing, even 
to the doctor whom he trusts, the secret which he has so long en- 
deavored to guard. But even if he should tell his doctor the story 
of his misfortune, he would, in the vast majority of cases, simply be 
told that he must gradually reduce his daily "quantum" of the 
" drug," and thus in time learn to do without it. If he turns to the 
one enduring work which the opium habit has produced, the " Con- 
fessions of an English Opium Eater," he will find that its author 
based all his hopes of recovery from the abyss into which he had 
fallen, and whose dark depths were stirred by the sound of his 
'•' Suspiria de Profundis," upon the method of self-cure by "gradual 
reduction." And, unless he read the words of the famous essayist 
more carefully than many have done, he may fail to notice the fact, 
which is half hidden and half revealed, that DeQuincey never found 
the deliverance for which he strove. The last words of his last 
utterance on the subject end in an awful plagal cadence, of hopeless 
despair. 

After stating that twice he had, for a time, entirely abandoned 
the use of opium and again resumed its use, he thus concludes : 

"During this third prostration before the dark idol, and after 
some years, new phenomena began slowly to arise. For a time, 
these were neglected as accidents, or palliated by such remedies as I 
knew of. But when I could no longer conceal from myself that 
these dreadful symptoms were moving forward forever, by a pace 
steadily, solemnly, and equably increasing, I endeavored, with some 
feeling of panic, for a third time to retrace my steps. But I had 
not reversed my motions for many weeks before I became profoundly 
aware that this was impossible. Or, in the imagery of my dreams, 
which translated everything into their own language, I saw, through 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 51 

vast avenues of gloom, whose towering gates of ingress, wnich hith- 
erto had always seemed to stand open, now at last barred against 
my retreat and hung with funereal crape. 

" The sentiment which attends the sudden revelation that all is 
lost ! silently is gathered up into the heart ; it is too deep for gest- 
ures or for words ; and no part of it passes to the outside. Were the 
ruin conditional, or were it in any point doubtful, it would be natural 
to utter ejaculations, and to seek sympathy. But where the ruin 
is understood to be absolute, where sympathy can not be consolation, 
and council can not be hope, this is otherwise. The voice perishes ; 
the gestures are frozen ; and the spirit of man flies back upon its 
own center. I, at least, upon seeing those awful gates closed and 
hung with draperies of woe, as for a death already past, spoke not, 
nor started, nor groaned. One profound sigh ascended from my 
heart, and I was silent for days." 

Ignorant of this tremendous failure, or not appreciating its sig- 
nificance, the sufferer of to-day resolves to pursue the same process 
of self-deliverance. He remembers that it was by means of doses 
gradually increased that he came to be a confirmed opium user, and 
he argues with himself that,as he entered the regions of horror step 
by step, down a descending path, so he may retrace the long and 
steep incline, and, finding, at its top, the "gates of ingress" still 
open, pass out into a free and happy life ! 

Easy is it to glide downward into the awful opium gulf, but to 
return and escape,— how hard ! The recorded experiences of opium 
and morphine users, who have attempted to cure themselves by 
gradual reductions of the daily dose of their opiate, is like a horrible, 
infernal chorus of shrieks and screams. The language has been 
ransacked by these sufferers for terms intense enough to set forth 
even a little of their misery. 

Let me endeavor to place before the reader the experiences of a 
typical case of attempted self-cure. Every incident and detail of 
suffering, and of lamentable and disastrous failure, can be substan- 
tiated by scores of published experiences, and by hundreds of in- 
stances described in my own correspondence. Let the individual be 
of middle age, and, originally, of more than ordinary strength of 
constitution, and of a hopeful temperament. His powers have not 
been greatly wasted, as yet, and he has, by nature, a strong mind 
and a determined will. He has, for some years, been taking, let us 
suppose, an average quantity of 14 grains of morphine in each 24 



52 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

hours. He has, hitherto, made only feeble and abortive attempts 
to cease using the " drug," but now, alarmed by a failing stomach, 
or shocked by a vision of a life ruined, he summons all his strength 
and condenses all his energies of mind and body into a resolution 
to break the withes which are binding all his powers. He with- 
draws himself from his accustomed duties and cares, so that he may 
be burdened by no unnecessary weight in the contest, and begins to 
carry out his determination to reduce, gradually, his daily " ration" 
of the poison until the amount taken shall become so insignificant 
that he can entirely abandon it. 

He may, possibly, make a rapid reduction during the first three 
or four days, perhaps come down to one-half his habitual quantity 
in that time. Many a victim of the habit, beginning such a strug- 
gle, has felt a short and utterly deceptive joy at the idea of a speedy 
deliverance from his bondage, because he has, in so short a time, 
reduced his daily doses of the "drug" one-half, without experienc- 
ing any feelings worse than general uneasiness and discomfort. He 
does not know that the perverted machinery of his body has been 
storing up morphine in all the tissues, and that it is this hoarded 
poison which makes the first stages of his trial so easy by supplying 
the stimulus which the system has come to require. 

But the third or fourth day of such continued reduction, this 
store of isomerized morphine begins to fail, and, although it might 
require weeks to entirely exhaust it, the help which it gives becomes 
less and less. From this time, be his daily reductions ever so minute, 
the sufferer rapidly passes into the seething crater of the opium 
agony. He experiences an intense irritability, both mental and 
physical; cold chills pierce to his very marrow, to be suddenly 
succeeded by hot flashes and out-bursts of perspiration, which 
make him drip at every pore. Pains which pierce and sting like 
poisoned spears are felt here and there all over the body. In the 
stomach there is a constant, terrible sensation, as if a pack of 
sharp-toothed, hungry wolves were gnawing and tearing its coats. 
The mind becomes affected. The power of attention and continu- 
ous thought is lost ; reading becomes impossible, not merely on 
account of ceaseless restlessness and tormenting pains, but because 
the mental faculties are incapable of concentration, and it is im- 
possible to fix the attention upon consecutive sentences. All mental 
activity is paralyzed. Consciousness remains, but it is a conscious- 
ness of unceasing pain. There is no longer any restful sleep, but 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 53 

only half slumber, and this is full of conscious uneasiness, or is 
tormented with delirious dreams. 

And yet, this is hut the threshold of the torture chamber. As 
the days pass, and, with stubborn endurance, the reductions are 
still made until the daily dose is but a grain, or even less, the 
patient experiences horrors which no words can portray ! For a 
brief period after taking his comparatively minute dose of the 
" drug" he may experience some mitigation of his sufferings, but 
the relief is only partial and exceedingly brief. Not for an instant 
does his torment cease, and day^nd night not a conscious moment 
is free from pains, like those which, in darker ages than these, 
wrenched shrieks and awful secrets from victims tortured on the 
rack. If the eyelids close, it is not in slumber,— the "drug " which 
once gave such sweet and irresistible invitation to repose, has per- 
fected its treachery — it has "murdered sleep." Instances are not 
wanting where the victims of the morphine disease, endeavoring to 
cure themselves, have gone absolutely without sleep for one or two 
weeks. The sleepless days and nights appear to lengthen, until 
each day, each hour seems endless. One who has described his own 
experience of self-cure, writes : 

"It may aid the reader to form some adequate notion of the 
dreary length to which these nights drew themselves along, to men- 
tion that on one occasion I resolved neither to look at the clock 
nor open my eyes for the next two hours. It then wanted ten 
minutes to one. * * * * For what seemed thousands upon 
thousands of times, I listened to the clock's steady ticking. I heard 
it repeat, with murderous iteration, 'Ket-ri-bu-tion,' varied occa- 
sionally, under some new access of pain, with other utterances. * 
* * * With these allotted tasks accomplished, and with the 
suspicion that the allotted hours must have long expired, I would 
yet remind myself that I was in a condition to exaggerate the lapse 
of time; and then, to give myself every assurance of fidelity to my 
purpose, I would start off on a new term of endurance. I seemed to 
myself to have borne the penance for hours, to have made myself a 
shining example of what a resolute will can do under circumstances 
the most inauspicious. At length, when certain that the time must 
have much more than expired, and with no little elation over the 
happy result of the experiment, I looked up at the clock and found 
it to have been just three minutes past one." 

And every second of those interminable minutes is full of 



54 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

indescribable pain. The feet and lower limbs seem filled, not with 
blood, but with fire. The nerves, so long held in unnatural quiet, 
awake, and begin at once to pay, with interest, for every moment of 
enforced, abnormal torpor with intensest torture in every atom of 
their fibre. A fierce, insatiable restlessness pervades every particle 
of the body. Constant motion through each day and night is a neces- 
sity, but in no wise a relief. 

One who was endeavoring to cure himself by reducing his "quan- 
tum " of crude opium at the rate of one grain each twenty-four hours, 
writes : ' ' From seventeen grains cfewn ward my torture ( for by that 
word alone can I characterize the pangs I endured ) commenced. I 
could not rest, either lying, sitting, or standing. I was compelled 
to change my position every moment, and the only thing that re- 
lieved me was walking about the country. My sight became weak 
and dim ; the gnawing at my stomach was perpetual. * * * * 
A dull, constant pain took possession of the calves of my legs, and 
there was a continual jerking motion of the nerves from head to 
foot. My head ached ; my intellect was terribly weakened and 
confused, and I could not think, talk, read, nor write. * * * * 
I became unable to walk, and used to lie on the floor and roll about 
in agony for hours together." 

But it is unnecessary to dwell upon the physical agonies of those 
who try to retrace their steps along the path of the opium habit. 
The way is paved with red-hot coals and encompassed with burning 
flames. In addition to the pangs of body there is a distress of mind 
which broods over all like a dense cloud of despair. Whether the 
victim was sinful, weak, or only deceived, makes no difference, his 
punishment is superlative, surpassing all other pains. In the em- 
phatic language of Fitz Hugh Ludlow: "The grasp with which 
liquor holds a man when it turns on him, even after he has abused 
it for a life-time, compared with the ascendency possessed by opium 
over the unfortunate habituated to it but for a single year, is as the 
clutch of an angry woman to the embrace of Victor Hugo's " Pieuvre." 
A patient whom, after habitual use of opium for ten years, I met 
when he had spent eight years more in reducing his daily dose to 
half a grain of morphia, with a view to its eventual complete aban- 
donment, once spoke to me in these words : ' God seems to help a 
man in getting out of every difficulty but opium. There you have 
to claw your way out, over red-hot coals, on your hands and knees, 
and drag yourself, by main strength, through the burning dungeon 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 55 

bars.' " It is well known that inebriates taken hold of by religious 
excitement, sometimes, for a while, and perhaps permanently, cease 
wholly the use of alcohol, and lose, at once, all desire for it. But 
who ever heard of a confirmed opium user who had experienced 
such a cure ? 

The saddest fact in connection with this method of cure by 
"gradual reduction " is that after enduring such torment of fire, the 
few who succeed in finally abandoning the opiate, are, by no means, 
cured. The great majority of those who try this terrible backward 
path, soon turn, affrighted, from its horrors and go forward toward 
the ruin that waits them. But the very few who, by reason of 
extraordinary strength of constitution and will, go through the 
ordeal and emerge with life and reason, are but the wrecks of what 
they once were. As they lay, like souls in the burning flames of an- 
cient superstition, waiting for the period of their torment to end, 
they hoped that when, at last, the brazen gate opened and they 
went out free, they would come -into the old, bright world which 
existed for them before they passed into the eclipse of the " drug." 
They hoped to be strong and full of energy once more. 

But these hopes are not fulfilled. In some cases, in which a 
very moderate amount of the "drug" has been used each day, and 
that only for a short time (as three or four grains daily for a few 
months), and in which the physical nature possesses exceptional 
strength and endurance, the opium user, cured by "gradual reduc- 
tion " alone may become reasonably healthy in body and mind. But 
cases of this kind are so rare that they do not modify the general 
fact that the exceedingly small percentage of those who succifed in 
this method of self-cure are so weakened in body and mind by the 
"drug," and their struggle to cease its use, that life is almost useless 
to them. Their condition is vividly described in the narrative of 
his experience by a gentleman who, in about forty days, reduced his 
" quantum " from eighty grains of gum opium to nothing. He says: 
" During the time I was leaving off opium I had labored under the 
impression that the habit once mastered, a speedy restoration to 
health would follow. I was by no means prepared, therefore, for the 
almost inappreciable gain in the weeks which succeeded. * * * 
So exceedingly slow has been the process toward the restoration of a 
natural condition of the system, that writing now, at the expiration 
of more than a year since opium was finally abandoned, it seems 
to me very uncertain when, if ever, this result will be reached. 



56 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

Between four and five months elapsed before I was at all capable of 
commanding my attention, or controlling the nervous impatience of 
mind and body. * * * The business I had undertaken required 
a clear head, and average health, and I had neither. The sleep was 
short and imperfect, rarely exceeding two or three hours. The chest 
was in constant heat and very sore, while the previous billious diffi- 
culties seemed in no way overcome. The mouth was parched, the 
tongue swollen, and a low fever seemed to have taken entire posses- 
sion of the system, with special and peculiar exasperations in the 
muscles of the arms and legs. * * * I would sit for hours 
looking listlessly upon a sheet of paper, helpless of originating an 
idea upon the commonest of subjects, and with a prevailing sensa- 
tion of owning a large emptiness in the brain, which seemed chiefly 
filled with a stupid wonder when all this would end. 

"More than an entire year has now passed, in which I have 
done little else than to put the preceding details into shape from 
brief memoranda made at the time of the experiment. While the 
physical agony ceased almost immediately after the opium was 
abandoned, the irritation of the system still continues. * * * 
Had some virus been transfused into the blood, which carried with 
it to every nerve of sensation a sense of painful, exasperating un- 
naturalness, the feeling would not, I imagine, be unlike what I am 
endeavoring to indicate.'' 

And this was his reward for a battle and a victory compared 
with which the torments of martyrs were as pleasant dreams ! But 
this is not the end of it. In a postscript to the statement from wb ich 
the above is quoted, he says : 

" At the time of writing the preceding narrative I had supposed 
that the entire story was told, and that the intelligent reader, 
should this record ever see the light, would naturally infer, as I my- 
self imagined would be the case, that the unnatural condition of 
body would soon become changed into a state of average health. 
In this I was mistaken. So tenacious and obstinate in its hold upon 
its victim is the opium disease, that even after the lapse of ten 
years its poisonous agency is still felt. * * * 

"In my case, the most marked among the later consequences 
of the disease of opium, some of which remain to the present time 
and seem to be permanently engrafted upon the constitution, have 
been these : 

1. Pressure upon the muscles of the limbs and in the extremi- 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 57 

ties, sometimes as of electricity apparently accumulated there under 
a strong mechanical force. 

2. A disordered condition of the liver, exhibiting itself in the 
variety of uncomfortable modes in which that organ, when acting 
irregularly, is accustomed to assert its grievances. 

3. A sensitive condition of the stomach, rejecting many kinds 
of food which are regarded by medical men as simple and easy of 
digestion. 

4. Acute shooting pains, confined to no one part of the body. 

5. An unnatural sensitiveness to cold. 

6. Frequent cold perspiration in parts of the body. 

7. A tendency to impatience and irritability of temper, with 
paroxysms of excitement wholly foreign to the natural disposition. 

8. Deficiency and irregularity of sleep. 

9. Occasional prostration of strength. 
10. Inaptitude for steady exertion." 

What a dismal outlook this presents to those who are searching 
for encouragement in curing themselves of the opium or morphine 
habit by the methods now under consideration ! This is not recov- 
ery from a disease — it is a permanent diseased condition. Unless 
the victim of opium can find some stronger and more efficient aid 
his case is pitiable indeed. 



CHAPTER XI. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT — CONTINTJED. 
THE LEVENSTEIN METHOD, AND THAT OF " RAPID REDUCTION." 

The first mode of treatment mentioned in the heading of this 
chapter consists, at least in theory, in placing the patient under the 
care of a physician, who at once prohibits the further use of the 
"drug," even in the smallest doses. In the method of "rapid re- 
duction," constantly diminishing doses are administered during the 
first eight or ten days, at the end of which time the supply ceases. 
These methods are so nearly alike in their immediate and secondary 
results, that they may be treated as one. 



58 FftOM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

The patient is to be removed from his usual surroundings and 
placed under the supervision of a physician specially skilled in the 
treatment of opiate diseases. He must have attendants, educated 
to their duties, and in whom the medical director can place the most 
implicit confidence that they will rigidly follow his instructions, and 
will not yield in the least to the entreaties of patients, nor be moved 
by the sight of their sufferings to modify the rules of treatment. 
The patient is placed in a room, the windows of which are carefully 
fastened so that he cannot escape, and the walls padded, so that 
when, in his agony, he dashes himself against them he will receive 
no injury. The room must contain no furniture with which suicide 
can be accomplished, no sharp instruments, and no projecting cor- 
ners from which the patient can suspend himself by the neck. His 
clothing is to be removed and carefully searched for concealed opiates 
before it is restored to him. After all these necessary preliminaries, 
the method of treatment by entire cessation, or by " rapid reduction " 
of the dose, begins. 

I will not attempt the impossible task of picturing the suffer- 
ings which patients experience under these methods of treatment. 
The author, whose name has been given to one of them, Levenstein, 
in referring to it, says : ''Although persons who suffer from morbid 
craving for morphia show different symptoms, some of them begin- 
ning to feel the effects of the poison after using it for several months, 
while others enjoy comparatively good health for years together, 
there is no difference between them as regards the consequences up- 
on the partial or entire withdrawal of the narcotic "drug." In this 
respect they are all equal. None of them have the power of satisfy- 
ing their passions unpunished. 

"Only a few hours have passed since using the last injection of 
morphia, and already the feeling of comfort brought on by the 
action of the "drug" is passing off. They are overcome by a feel- 
ing of uneasiness and restlessness ; the feeling of self- consciousness 
and self-possession is gone, and is replaced by extreme despondency ; 
a slight cough gradually brings on dyspnoea, which is increased by 
want of sleep and by hallucinations. 

" The vaso-motoric system shows' its weakness by abundant per- 
spiration and by the dark color of the face, which replaces the pale 
condition apparent during the first few days. 

"Flow of blood to the head and palpitation of the heart, with 
a hard pulse, soon show themselves. The latter symptom often 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 59 

disappears suddenly, and is replaced by a slow, irregular, thread- 
like pulse, which is the sign of the beginning of a severe collapse. 

"The reflex irritability increases, the patients begin to sneeze 
and to have paroxysms of yawning : they start if any one approaches 
them ; touching their skin causes crampy movements or convul- 
sions ; the trembling of the hands, if not already evident, now 
becomes distinctly perceptible. The power of speech is disordered : 
lisping and stammering take place. Diplopia, and disorders of the 
power of accommodation, frequently accompanied by increased se- 
cretion of the lachrymal glands, show themselves. The patients are 
overcome by a feeling of weakness and total want of energy, and ' 
are thus compelled to lie in bed. 

4 'Neuralgic affections of various parts of the body, pain in the 
front and back of the head, cardialgia, abnormal sensations of the 
legs, associated with salivation, coryza, nausea, vomiting and diar- 
rhoea, tend to bring them into a desperate condition. 

" Some persons will bear up with fortitude under all these trials ; 
they will quietly remain in bed, and will endure the unavoidable 
suffering, hardly uttering a complaint. Of the others, although a 
great majority of them sleep and doze (?) during this trying time, 
some can find rest nowhere ; they jump out of bed, run about the 
room in a state of fear, crying and shrieking. Gradually they be- 
come calmer, although occasionally their excitement increases. A 
state of frenzy brought on by hallucinations and illusions of all the 
sensitive organs, at last causes a morbid condition, to which I have 
given the name of "delirium tremens," resulting from morbid craving 
for morphia, it being similar to that caused by alcohol. Some of 
the patients, however, will be found walking about in deep despair, 
hoping to find an opportunity of freeing themselves forever from 
their wretched condition." 

What words are these to be read by an opium sufferer who is 
crying out for help ! What a terrible indictment do they constitute 
against the method of treatment to which the author of them has 
contributed his name ! What victim of the habit will not shrink 
from entering upon such a period of torment, and seek relief from 
any and every nostrum, rather than face such inevitable agonies? 

We may be sure, too, that these sufferings are not overstated. 
In fact, they are under-estimated. I will assert, and can maintain 
the assertion by the testimony of hundreds treated by me, or who 
have recorded their experiences in my correspondence, that if any 



60 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

confirmed opium users who for one year or longer have taken doses 
equivalent to four or five grains of the sulphate of morphia each 
twenty-four hours, sleep and doze during treatment by instant disuse 
or rapid reduction, they are so few in number, and of so peculiar a 
physical constitution, that their cases are wholly and marvelously 
exceptional. If they exist at all, they are not possessed of the 
nervous system, and its capacity for both pleasure and pain, of the 
average American citizen ! 

The language above cited from Levenstein speaks of some pa- 
tients as earnestly and persistently seeking for means of self-murder 
to end their torments. Is it necessary to inform, not the experi- 
enced medical practitioner, but the average general reader, that the 
agonies which make men not only long for death, but persist- 
ently seek it, will soon produce lesion of the brain, insanity and 
death? 

Only a short time since an account was published of the expe- 
riences of a German village physician and preacher, who advertised 
to receive and cure persons afflicted with the opium or morphine 
disease. He used the Levenstein method, and so large a proportion 
of his patients either died or became insane that the civil author- 
ities interfered and compelled him to abandon his specialty, and he 
was forced to leave the district. 

In the case which formed the text of the magazine article by 
Fitz Hugh Ludlow, before referred to, in which the patient had 
been taken to a water-cure establishment and at once deprived of 
the "drug," the sufferer had been without proper sleep for ninety 
days before the dreadful experiment was abandoned. The writer 
says: 

"I have said that during the first month of trial he had not a 
moment of even partial unconsciousness. Since that time there has 
been, perhaps, ten occasions a day when, for a period of one minute 
in length to five, his poor, pain-wrinkled forehead sank on his 
crutch, his eyes fell shut, and, to outsiders, he seemed asleep. But 
that which appeared]sleep was internally, to him, only one stupendous 
succession of horrors, which confusedly succeeded each other for 
apparent eternities of being, and ended with some nameless catas- 
trophe of woe or wickedness, in a waking more fearful than the state 
volcanically ruptured by it. During the nights I sat by him, these 
occasional relaxations, as I learned, reached their maximum length 
— my familiar presence acting as a sedative — but from each of them 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 61 

he Woke bathed in perspiration from sole to crown ; shivering under 
alternate flushes of cold and fever ; mentally confused to a degree 
which, for half an hour, rendered every object in the room unnatural 
and terrible to him ; with a nervous jerk which threw him quite out 
of bed, although in his waking state two men were requisite to move 
him, and with a cry of agony as loud as any under amputation." 

In the case of this patient the treatment was abandoned and 
the use of opium resumed ; but the sufferer died in a short time, 
unable to recover from the shock caused by discontinuing the use 
of the "drug." 

Every physician knows that lesion of the brain may be caused 
by intense and continued pain, and the tortures which the methods 
of treatment now under consideration involve cannot fail to pro- 
duce insanity in many cases. The details of cases treated by Leven- 
stein himself show that the mode of treatment produces at least 
temporary aberration of mind. His patients, many of them, saw 
terrible visions and dreamed dreadful waking dreams, so real that 
they shrieked for help in agonies of fear. 

And it is, in spite of the aid of the various sedatives and nerv- 
ines, known to the profession that these sufferings occur. As a 
matter of course, the physician who endeavors to cure by either the 
method of immediate disuse, or by " rapid reduction," uses all indi- 
cated therapeutical and hygienic aids. But all these, as a rule, 
have no more effect toward abating the tortures of the patient than 
do scattering drops from a summer cloud in extinguishing a roaring 
conflagration which is licking up great warehouses beneath. 

The Levenstein method is carried out completely in few, if any, 
cases. Besides endeavoring to sustain the patient with sedatives, 
nervines and the free use of distilled and fermented liquors, it is 
frequently found necessary to administer morphia, at least in small 
doses, to prevent fatal collapse. 

The same is true of treatment by "rapid reduction." And some 
who treat the disease by the latter method have published to the 
world that they are accustomed to practice deceit upon their pa- 
tients. They give hypodermic injections of clear water, or a solution 
of quinine in water, pretending to the sufferer that it is morphine. 
Thus the patient is "fooled to the top of his bent" by the very one 
in whom he should be able to have the most perfect confidence. 
Such methods seem like child's play, rather than practicing medicine, 
and do no real good. Those who gravely publish to the world that 



62 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

such fooling is a proper and prominent means to be used in treating 
opium patients, can have had very little experience, or else very- 
little true success in the specialty. 

Nor do the cruel modes of treatment above referred to succeed 
in really curing those in whom they cause such sufferings. It is true 
that the patient who survives the ordeal may leave the house of his 
torment, apparently, or for a time, free from the old morbid craving 
for the "drug." I will not say that he may not live the remainder 
of his life without resorting again to opiates. Yet in all the pub- 
lished and private records which relate to the opium or morphine 
habit, I have not yet been able to find one authentic case in which 
the patient treated by such methods did not resume the habit sooner 
or later, or else did not remain an invalid and die an untimely death. 
The simple fact that those who, not only once, but twice, and, in 
some oases, even three times, "clawed" their way backward over 
the burning coals and between the red-hot bars, and with the 
memory of their agonies still distinct, as it must be, in their minds, 
go back again and again to the use of the " drug " after the lapse of 
months, and even years, proves that there is no radical and certain 
cure in any of the methods of treatment so far considered. The 
cases are exceptional in which they do not leave the victims shat- 
tered in health, and so melancholy and hopeless that they, in time, 
weary of the struggle and fall an easy prey to opiates or stimulants. 
If there is no more certain way of escape ; if the opium victim must 
go through fires of hell to reach, at last, only a dim, infernal border 
land of weakness and gloom, instead of green earth, blue sky, and 
strong and joyous life, who can blame him greatly if he prefers to 
face the final agonies and the death which the "drug" itself will 
cause. He will suffer torments then, it is true ; to die in that way is 
to die hideously. But the end of it all is an end. 

"After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well." 

To speak of a patient, after such an ordeal, as "cured," simply 
because there is no longer any craving for morphia, and the patient 
is able to live without it, is to misuse language, and to deceive those 
who confide in such assertions. It is 

" To keep the word of promise to the ear , 
But to break it to the hope." 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 63 

The victims of the opium disease plead for a remedy or a mode 
of treatment which shall give them hack their strength, their 
motions, their will, their life again. 

" 'Tis life whereof their nerves are scant, 
'Tis life, not death, for which they pant ; 
More life and fuller, that they want." 



CHAPTER XII. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT. — CONTINUED. 
DRUGS USED IN ATTEMPTS TO CURE. 

The search for drugs antipathic to opium, and its products has 
been pursued with much energy, for the last ten or fifteen years. 
The need of some preparation which will sustain the patient during 
his effort to abandon his opiate has been generally recognized by 
the medical profession, as well as the almost total inefficiency of the 
tonics, sedatives, anodynes and stimulants ordinarily used in prac- 
tice. It appears to have been generally taken for granted that if 
the patient can be tided over the period of struggle and agony, by 
some mitigation of his torment which will permit him to catch, at 
intervals, a little restful sleep, and preserve his mind from becoming 
unbalanced by the fierceness of his pain, he will at length emerge 
into liberty and health. The sequelse of the opium habit, in cases 
in which the habitue has been dismissed from treatment as cured, 
and u who may for a little while feel no morbid craving for the 
" drug," have been studied comparatively little. The end sought by 
nearly all who have given attention to the opium or morphine habit 
seems to have been merely to eradicate the unnatural " craving " for 
the " drug,'' while the condition in which the system may be left at 
the end of the course of treatment has been given much less thought. 

It seems to satisfy the ambition of many of those in the medical 
profession who have had an opportunity of treating the "morphine 
crave," and who have access to medical periodicals, when they can 
publish the history of a cure, giving their course of treatment from 



64 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

day to day, with a record of the therapeutical action of the medicines 
administered, and of the pathological conditions and immediate 
physiological effects. The temporary cessation of morbid desire for 
the "drug," when the patient is able to be dismissed, is published as 
a " cure," in forgetfulness of the fact that in all probability the 
nerves have been so benumbed by the agonies of the final struggle 
that they are actually for a time incapable of the appetite. To dis- 
miss a patient in such an exhausted condition that he is unable for 
a while to feel morphine-hunger, and denominating it a "cure," is 
like preventing a fever by inducing a collapse ! 

But the use of various nervines, tonics, sedatives and stimu- 
lants, by the profession, and especially outside of it, to aid the 
opium patient in passing through the ordeal of fire which it is taken 
for granted that he must endure if he would be saved, is so exten- 
sive that the actual value of these agencies in opium disease should 
be thoroughly understood. 

Prominent among the drugs used at present in endeavors to 
cure the opium disease, in combination either with morphia alone, 
or with morphia and other drugs, are 

JSTUX VOMICA, 

and its alkaloid, strychnine. The class of vegetable growths to 
which this belongs, the bitter " strychnos," have long been known as 
containing active poisons. They furnish to the natives of various 
tropical countries the active agent with which they make their light 
arrows so venomous that the slightest pricking of a vein by the 
point surely produces death. The alkaloid, strychnia, is prepared 
from the seeds of " strychnos nux vomica." An alcoholic extract of 
these seeds, which are popularly known as "dog buttons," is also pre- 
pared. Half a grain of sulphate of strychnia, three grains of the 
alcoholic extract of nux vomica, or thirty grains of the pulverized 
seed are fatal to human life. 

Both the extract of nux vomica, and its alkaloid, strychnia, are 
well known to the medical profession as powerful poisons which 
must be administered, when indicated, in minute doses and with 
much caution. They are used as spinal and nerve excitants, in pa- 
ralysis and hemiplegia, and also as tonics and anti-periodics. I am 
not aware that any member of the profession has seriously claimed 
that these agents are antipathic to opium, and probably all of them 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 65 

will admit that if so potent a nerve-excitant as is supplied by nux 
vomica is practically powerless to fortify the nerves of the sufferer 
from the opium disease when deprived of the "drug," then there is 
nothing which can be depended on to accomplish the desired result 
in the whole list of remedies in general use by the profession. And 
I venture to assert that no reputable physician will claim that he has 
conducted a single case of confirmed opium disease to convalescence 
and health by means of nux vomica, either alone or in combination 
with other remedial agents. 

The largest use, and the most injurious one, of the "drug " now 
under consideration, is made by individuals outside the medical 
profession. Certain nostrums are largely advertised and sold as 
"antidotes" and "painless cures" of the opium habit, whose chief 
active principle, -so far as they have any besides the morphine which 
they contain, is prepared from nux vomica. It is only a physician 
who makes the treatment of the opium disease a specialty that can 
know to what extent the victims of the habit are deceived and 
robbed by these ignorant and heartless charlatans. There scarcely 
has been one of my patients who does not tell a pitiful story of hope 
frustrated and purse depleted through following these false lights. 
Their representations are so specious, their promises so strong, their 
"testimonials" so apparently convincing, that confirmed opium 
users of every grade of intelligence and experience, even to the 
highest, become tributary to their treasuries. I can recall but few 
patients, of all who have come under my treatment, who have not 
taken these so-called "remedies." 

The most widely advertised and sold of these nostrums consists 
of a preparation of nux vomica, which, together with the morphine 
which the mixture always contains, are dissolved and disguised in 
glycerine, the preparation being colored with aniline red. The 
"theory of treatment," if the term can be used in this connection, 
is to very gradually reduce the daily amount of the opiate, the nux 
vomica being supposed to "sustain" the victim or supply sufficient 
strength so that his system will not feel inconvenience on account 
of the reduction of his usual quantum of morphia. One of the 
points upon which the individual under "treatment" is anxiously 
requested to inform the vendor, is whether the mixture "sustains" 
him. The meaning of this is simply that if the proportion of 
morphine in the bottle is not large enough, another bottle will be 
prepared in which the requisite quantity of the "drug" will be 



66 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

dissolved. The process of " reduction" is intended to extend over 
many months, even to a year or longer. One of my patients, a phy- 
sician of good standing, tells me that he paid to a single concern 
about three hundred dollars, at the rate of fourteen dollars per month, 
for a " painless antidote," and did not receive one particle of benefit, 
but much injury. 

The questions which those who order these preparations are 
required to answer, show that morphia or some other form of opium 
is a necessary ingredient in the compound. They are particularly 
requested to state what form of the opiate they are accustomed to 
use, if hypodermically or by the mouth, and the full amount required 
to "sustain" them for a specified length of time. The price per 
bottle of the remedy is in proportion to the amount of the opiate 
taken ; that is, it is graded by the quantity of morphine required to 
prepare the remedy for each case. With all possible emphasis of 
exclamation points and capitals, the purchaser is instructed not to 
take a larger dose of the mixture than that indicated by the vendor ; 
and all other persons are told that for them to even taste the prepa- 
ration will be highly dangerous ! 

If these self-styled "doctors," who collect such heavy tribute 
from the victims of the opium disease, would frankly admit that a 
quantity of morphine, proportionate to the amount used by the 
purchaser, is an ingredient of their compounds, they would not, 
perhaps, be deserving of such entire disapprobation. But they not 
only fail to do this ; they also endeavor, by every form of statement 
short of direct assertion, to convey the idea that their mixtures 
contain no form of opium. They assure the world that their " pain- 
less cures " contain no opium, intending to be understood that there 
is, in their compound, no form or product of opium. They explain 
their positive prohibition of the use, or even tasting of their nos- 
trum by any other person than the one for whom it is specially 
prepared, by telling what strong medicine it contains, and that it 
"must be made powerful " to do its work. The simple truth is that 
the mixtures contain large quantities of morphine, and if a person 
not habituated to the "drug" should take even a single moderate 
dose of the poisonous compound he would die. 

I do not assert that these so-called "Antidotes" are without 
temporary effect, nor even that the "certificates of cure," by means 
of which the vendors push their wares, are not "genuine certifi- 
cates." I will not assert it to be impossible that the nux vomica, 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 67 

alone, or mixed with nerve sedatives and anodynes, might in excep- 
tional cases enable moderate opium users to pass through a process 
of very gradual reduction, without unendurable suffering, down to 
abandonment of the "drug." But I do know that the number of 
those who have used these mixtures without benefit is legion, and 
that they are to be found in almost every town and hamlet through- 
out the continent. 

The extract of nux vomica, embraced in these compounds, may 
so disguise the usual effects of the slightly reduced daily doses of 
the opiate mingled with them, that one who imagines* himself 
thoroughly acquainted with the action of opium products upon his 
own system may believe that it is not morphine, but some new and 
wonderful agent which "sustains " him. Even physicians, addicted 
to the opium habit and lured by the promise of speedy cure, have 
swallowed these compounds for months without recognizing the 
fact that they were still taking morphine in a disguised form. The 
purchaser of these nostrums is thus deceived, and he continues to 
send for the vaunted "cure" until he becomes wholly discouraged, 
and as soon as he stops, the habit, which has been lurking all the 
while near his side, springs once more upon him and bears him 
down, and he finds that its hunger has grown fiercer and its strength 
more terrible. 

I hardly need to add that to place in the opium patient's own 
hands, and subject only to his own administration, a compound 
containing large quantities of two such poisons as morphine and 
nux vomica, is very dangerous indeed. He will not take less than 
the prescribed dose, for it will not "sustain" him, and if he exceed 
it, he is plunged more deeply into his misery, and adds strength and 
heaviness to his chains. 

A very common result of taking these nostrums is to create a 
demand in the system for an increased quantity of the " drug." No 
matter what reduction of the opiate may have been accomplished 
while the mixture was being taken — and no one but the maker can 
know whether any reduction at all is made — if the patient ceases 
to take the potion for a time, he almost immediately goes back to a 
larger dose of the "drug" than he had ever taken before. This 
seems to have been the experience of a great majority of those who 
have tried these mixtures. The extract of nux vomica excites, but 
does not heal the nerves, and as soon as it is no longer taken, and 
the little supporting power which it exerts is withdrawn, a great 



68 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

reaction takes place, and an increased supply of opium or morphine 
is demanded by the nerves in order that they may remain in the 
opiumized state, which has become their normal condition. 

The cheap glycerine of commerce, which is the menstruum in 
which the morphia, nux vomica, and the other minor ingredients of 
these injurious compounds are dissolved, and by the sweetness 01 
which they are considerably disguised, is positively hurtful to the 
physical system. Many of those who have taken the nostrums of 
which it forms so large a constituent, speak of its injurious effects 
upon the mucous lining of the stomach and bowels. It often causes 
persistent itching of the anus, indicating a disordered condition of 
the lower bowels. One of my patients, a gentleman who had all 
means of knowledge on the subject which could be possessed by one 
not a physician, has repeatedly assured me that a late Chief Justice 
of the Supreme Court of a Western State died from the effects of the 
glycerine contained in a so-called "painless antidote" which he 
took for the opium habit. 

If ever a "cure" has been made by these nux vomica ana 
morphine nostrums we have no knowledge of it; but we have a 
knowledge that wherever they have been tried they have served to 
fasten the chains of an opium servitude more firmly upon all the 
victims who have used them. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT. — CONTINUED. 
DRUGS USED IN ATTEMPTS TO CURE. 

Next in prominence to nux vomica as an alleged antagonist of 
opium and the sine qua non of those who advertise the "hypo- 
dermic method" in "twenty day cures," and also lately brought to 
the notice of the profession as of use in treating opium disease, is 

ATROPIA, 

a toxic drug, more potent for direct mischief, if not more permanent 
evil, if possible, than morphine itself. 

Atropia is the active principle of Atropa Belladonna, and is 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 69 

well known to the medical profession as a most active and virulent 
poison, two-thirds of a grain producing death in an adult. It has 
been brought forward as an alleged physiological antipathic to 
opium, and in my investigations in search of an effective remedy 
for the opium habit I have given it much attention. My experi- 
ments with it, which have been numerous and persistent, have 
proved it to be not only of no real value for the purpose indicated, 
but also highly dangerous. In view of the knowledge of it which 
I have acquired, I cannot express in too strong language my sense 
of the atrocity of this mode of treating the opium disease, because 
of its immediate and lasting baneful effects. The patient is reduced 
to temporary idiotcy during treatment, and is left broken down 
and with no recuperative energy at its close. 

In the winter of 1880, an old lady sixty-seven years of age, and 
somewhat emaciated, applied to me for relief from internal pain. 
She was suffering from ovarian neuralgia — so named by Prof. De 
Laskie Miller, of Chicago, who had operated on her some years 
before. This well-known physician had recommended, after the 
operation, half grain injections, per anam, of morphine, and the 
patient, finding relief in the small doses, gradually increased them, 
till five grains had no more effect than the original one-half grain 
dose. She then began to take the morphine by the mouth, and 
continued to increase her daily quantum, until doses of ten, fifteen, 
twenty, forty, and fifty grains were successively reached, and finally 
she swallowed one drachm of the "drug" each twenty-four hours. 

It was at this time and under these conditions that she applied 
to me for help. She had reached the limit of the aid which morphine 
could give her, and it no longer exerted an anodynic influence upon 
her neuralgic pain. 

On visiting the patient on the morning of January 26th, I found 
her suffering intense agony, and praying for death to relieve her. 
She proved wholly insensible to hydrate of chloral in large doses, 
and I deemed this to be a legitimate case for the exhibition of 
atropia. I therefore threw into her arm one- thirty-second of a grain . 
In half an hour the neuralgic pain had left her, but she complained 
of thickening of the muscles of the throat and difficulty of breath- 
ing. The vessels of the neck and throat became turgid, and the skin 
of the face congested and purplish. This, however, passed away in 
the course of half an hour, and the patient complained of dryness 
of the mouth and fauces. Upon examination I found the salivary 



70 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

secretions viscid and ropy. I ordered beef tea and quinine, in three 
grain doses, to be given alternately every three hours, and left her. 

In the evening I was sent for. Found the patient suffering as 
much as before treatment in the morning. The salivary secretion, 
however, had returned ; the skin was quite moist, and she had eaten 
a plentiful dinner and supper. I again injected one-thirty-second 
of a grain of atropia into the arm, and continued treatment as be- 
fore. I was unable to remain long enough to observe the action of 
the atropia, as I had done in the morning. 

January 27th. Upon visiting the patient this morning, I was 
told that she had been delirious through the night, and had slept 
but little ; had refused nourishment, but had not complained of pain. 
Found the pupils of the eyes much dilated, and the tongue dry and 
chippy, so much so that what she said was unintelligible. Pulse 
wiry and intermittent. Ordered sponge bath and enema, and in- 
structed to continue beef essence when possible. 

Was sent for at two p. m. Found the patient evidently in 
intense pain. She was groaning and tossing wildly, as though 
suffering great agony, with low muttering delirium and subsidtas. 
The pulse was bounding, jerky, and incompressible. The mouth 
was as dry as an ash-pit ; the teeth covered with an abundance of 
dry sordes ; the pupils of the eyes were expanded to their utmost 
limit. She was a horrible spectacle, and to the attendants appeared 
to be dying. 

I at once threw a solution of five grains of morphine and one- 
sixty-fourth of a grain of atropia into the arm, and washed out the 
mouth with a diluted wine, of which she swallowed a little. In ten 
minutes she was perfectly easy, and in five more, asleep and breath- 
ing naturally. 

Called again at nine o'clock p. m. Found her awake, comfort- 
able, and hungry. The pulse was soft and regular ; secretions, 
plentiful. The bowels had moved off, and the urine was abundant 
and clear. Ordered light food, and that everything be kept as quiet 
as possible. During thirty-eight hours she had taken but five grains 
of morphine. 

January 28th. Visited the patient at eleven o'clock a. m. She 
had passed a fairly comfortable night, but was beginning again to 
suffer. I again injected one-thirty-second of a grain of atropia into 
the arm. The phenomena which succeeded the former injections 
reappeared, but intensified; so much so that I was somewhat 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 71 

concerned lest I had exceeded the intended dose (viz : one thirty- 
second grain). In a little while, however, some of the alarming 
symptoms disappeared, and she rested in a state of torpor, with 
only an occasional suspiration to show that she breathed at all. 
From this condition she passed into a heavy, dead sleep. 

At nine p. m. visited her again. Found her awake, violently 
delirious, chattering wildly about things that had occurred in 
her younger days — so far as she could be understood; talking to 
imaginary characters, and believing the room to be filled with devils 
and hideous monsters. The previous physical phenomena attendant 
upon the administration of the atropia, as regards the pulse, eyes, 
mouth, tongue, throat and secretions, were apparent in a greater 
degree. Ordered meat juice in small quantities, largely diluted, and 
given frequently. 

January 29th. Was sent for at eight o'clock a. m. Found the 
patient in a state of collapse, and to all appearance moribund, the 
pulse being rapid and hardly perceptible. Injected into the arm five 
grains of morphine and awaited results. These were soon evident 
in her re-awakening to consciousness and apparent comfort. Gave 
her weakened wine, and she soon fell asleep. Left instructions to 
administer Valentine's meat juice in teaspoonful doses every hour 
during the day. 

Patient forty-two hours on five grains of morphine. Visited 
her at nine o'clock in the evening, and found her fairly comfortable, 
but much exhausted. The tongue was moist, eyes dilated and star- 
ing, pulse full, but easily compressible. She had complained of pal- 
pitation and difficult breathing at intervals throughout the day. 
Discharges from the bowels and bladder had been frequent, the 
urine being highly colored. She begged for a little morphine by the 
mouth, and I gave her two grains. 

January 30th. Called again in the morning. Found that the 
patient had passed a comfortable night, and her condition being so 
good I determined to try the atropia once more. Against the 
patient's inclination, I threw into her arm one sixty-fourth of a 
grain. All the physical phenomena of the larger doses soon ap- 
peared, but in a less degree. 

Visited the patient again at nine p. m., and found her de- 
lirious, talking wildly, as before ; very abusive to the attendants, 
accusing each one of the most criminal intentions toward her. She 
was constantly contriving means to guard herself against them, and 



72 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

insisted on leaving the house. It was impossible to quiet or appease 
her. She had refused all nourishment during the day, and would 
take no medicine, though she recognized and understood me when I 
offered to give her morphine by the mouth. I found the mouth dry, 
as before ; the pulse was hard, wiry and intermittent. I left no 
morphine, as she would take nothing, feeling satisfied that the effects 
of the atropia would wear off by morning. 

January 31st. Called at nine a. m. Found the patient quiet, 
but very much exhausted, with the mouth and tongue so dry that 
she could not articulate one intelligible word. The pulse was too 
rapid and feeble to count ; the skin was dry and parched. The 
patient had refused fluid nourishment since the last dose of atropia. 
I had informed the friends that I was giving atropia, and they now 
insisted that no more should be administered. I was, for my own 
part, willing to yield to the request, for the case had verified a con- 
clusion toward which my mind had been guided by numerous pre- 
vious experiences, that atropia was either cumulative in the system, 
or else that the system grows more and more susceptible to its 
effects through even very small doses continuously given. Whatever 
the cause may be, the drug has acted very badly, not only in my 
hands, but in those of other physicians who have related to me 
their experience of its subcutaneous use. 

But, determined to give it a fair trial in the case, I, next morn- 
ing, took the patient an eight ounce bottle of tonic mixture, con- 
taining, in addition, one-half a grain of sulphate of atropia, with 
orders to administer the same every three hours in teaspoonf ul doses. 
With this mixture (containing jihr of a grain in each dose), and 
with five grains of morphine per day taken by the mouth, the pa- 
tient managed to get along with tolerable comfort for the next three 
weeks, but any effort at reducing the dose of morphine was met by 
the original intense agony. At the end of that period she went to 
Chicago to remain for some time, and passed from under my care. 
I learned, however, one year later, that she was taking nearly her 
maximum dose of morphia. 

This, together with my previous and subsequent experiences 
with atropia, proves to me, conclusively, that while this agent has 
some virtues in antagonizing the effects of morphia in the system, 
yet its influence is not only temporary, but very dangerous. Th e 
temporary effects of even minute doses upon the mind are very 
marked and very repulsive. It seems to strike directly at memory, 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 73 

will, and judgment — and all those principle functions which sep- 
arate human beings from the lower races. It drags the bright, 
intelligent patient toward the level of the chattering ape. 

Only a short time ago, and at his own suggestion, I threw into 
the arm of an adult patient of strong and vigorous constitution and 
full habit, the one-thirty-second part of a grain of atropia. Its 
effects lasted three or four hours, and at the end of them, and while 
his sensations were fresh in his memory, he declared that no possible 
consideration would induce him to repeat the experiment. All the 
physiological effects above noted were apparent : absolute dryness 
of the mouth, tongue, and fauces ; thick and indistinct utterance 
like that produced by extreme alcoholic intoxication. Excessive 
dilation of the pupils of the eye made the vision confused and dim, 
and caused a wild, staring, insane look. But the feature which, to 
the experimenter himself, seemed most repulsive, was the effect of 
the drug upon his intellect. The amount taken was not enough to 
destroy consciousness, but judgment, will, and "good sense" were 
dethroned. With thick, indistinct utterances he babbled all man- 
ner of childish and foolish things. He knew what he was saying, 
and knew that his remarks were half idiotic ; but he could not, and 
did not care to restrain them. His condition was that of extreme 
intoxication without any pleasurable sensation whatever. At the 
close of the experiment he felt disgusted and degraded. 

Atropia is simply a poison, and one of the most deadly poisons 
known to man. It has no power to heal. It is a minister of death, 
— not of life. It cannot "cure " the opium habit in any proper 
sense of the word. The opium user to whom it is administered can 
be "sustained" by much less than his usual daily "ration" of 
opium or morphine, I admit ; but it is simply a case of one poison 
being overmastered by another more powerful. The strong man is 
driven from his citadel by one stronger than he. The whole system 
is so utterly benumbed by atropia that it cannot, for the time being, 
realize the "morphine crave." But there is no tonic or sedative 
virtue in this deadly drug. 

If it be possible for a victim of the opium habit to finally 
abandon the "drug" under atropia treatment, his last stage will be 
worse than the first. His nervous system, bruised and beaten down 
by the trampling feet of the two gigantic demons in their conflict, 
will feel no thrills of returning health. If any of the organs of his 
body were disordered, their debilitated condition will be aggravated. 



74 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

If any lesion of the heart is present, the patient will probably die 
during the atropia treatment. And if , after undergoing treatment 
by this poison, and being turned off as cured simply because his 
desire for morphine is temporarily paralyzed by the grip of a stronger 
poison — if after this his nerves should begin to recover a little from 
the influence of the atropia, his craving for opium will spring up 
with more than its original strength. Such " treatment" and such 
" cures " are worse than the disease itself. 

While I do not claim to have verified the incident, yet I am 
prepared, by my own experiments and observation, to accept as true 
a telegram sent from Atlanta, Georgia, and widely published, to the 
effect that the wife of a Baptist clergyman, well known in the 
vicinity, was found dead on the train near Atlanta, her death being 
caused by an overdose of morphine taken by her as she was return- 
ing from treatment in an establishment which advertises to cure 
the opium habit, and in which the "hypodermic method" and 
atropia are depended upon. Such "cures" are all that ^can be 
expected from such a poison. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT.— CONTINUED. 
DRUGS USED IN ATTEMPTS TO CURE. 

The first agent, for its therapeutical value, put forward as an 
alleviative for the sufferings consequent upon opium using, is the 

HYDRATE OF CHLORAL. 

This drug was hailed at first by the medical profession as a hyp- 
notic and sedative, producing only good effects, and as the long- 
sought specific in cases of nervous disturbance, has, after a brief 
period of popularity, deservedly fallen into disgrace. Experience 
has shown it to be a dangerous "drug "—one whose reactive, cumu- 
lative, and secondary effects are very disastrous. Insomnia or sleep- 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 75 

lessness from any cause is placeboed by the habitual self-ad minis- 
tration of chloral in thousands of cases. This has resulted in a habit 
more rapidly destructive to nerve tissue than any other in the cata- 
logue. Invalids, who by reason of care, sorrow, or disease-shattered 
nerves, have accustomed themselves to its use through weary wacch- 
ing for slow coming dawns, and in coaxing sleep to their pillows 
have invited a midnight assassin that does its deadly work in the 
dark. Many a poor creature who has wooed its favor over night, 
has awakened in the morning in another world from its pernicious 
effects. 

As this habit is easily cured by a few days use of the " Double 
Chloride of Gold," it is needless to discuss it further in this place. 
The Remedy becomes a substitute for the "drug" at once, gives 
the patient sound, healthy and normal sleep, and a cure in less than 
a week, without the least pain or inconvenience whatever to the 
patient. However we will have more to say upon the subject of 
Hydrate of Chloral later on. 

CA1STKABIS INDICA. 

This is another drug which has been thoroughly tested as a 
temporary substitute for opium. It is well known as the ' ' hashisch " 
of the Oriental world, a drug widely used for purposes of intoxication 
among the people of the Eastern Continent. This substance has 
been found very irregular and uncertain in its action, but this has 
been ascribed to the varying and unreliable qualities of the drug as 
it is found in the market. Fitz Hugh Ludlow, in an article entitled 
" Outlines of an Opium Cure," expresses bis hope that its active 
principles may be extracted, and an alkaloid produced which shall 
be to Cannabis Indica what morphia is to crude opium, and in his 
decidedly fanciful scheme of hospital treatment of opium patients, 
he would evidently make considerable use of the drug. 

If such a product should be obtained, it would be of no real 
benefit in the treatment of the opium habit. Its potency is not 
such as will allay to any extent the tortures caused by depriving the 
confirmed opium user of his customary dose. It is simply an intoxicant. 
It makes wrecks of those who use it habitually ; how can it repair a 
wreck already made ? If it be said that the only use of it which is 
recommended is to give the patient occasional and temporary 
respite from his sufferings until the vis medicatrix naturoe can 



76 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

begin to act, I reply that, in the case of the reforming opium user, 
the healing power of nature itself needs reinforcement, and seda- 
tives and anodynes do not reach the seat of the difficulty. 

We will speak further of this drug under the name of Hashisch. 

COCA. 

The fluid extract of Evyihroxylon Coca has lately been urged 
as a cure for the opium disease by physicians in medical journals. It 
is used among the inhabitants of Peru and Bolivia, and other South 
American countries, as a stimulant, the dried leaves being chewed 
with lime or ashes. It is said to enable those who use it to go with- 
out food for a considerable length of time, and also to endure greater 
physical exertion than they otherwise could. It is also claimed that 
it prevents difficulty of respiration at high elevations. But little 
mention is made in the cases reported of the experiences of the pa- 
tients during treatment, but enough is indicated to prove that they 
suffered intensely. Chilliness, spasms of the muscles in the various 
parts of the body, excessive nervousness and persistent insomnia are 
mentioned. Some of my patients report having tried coca as a rem- 
edy, but claim that it acted only as a temporary stimulus and proved 
of no real benefit. 

It soon becomes an absolute necessity to those who begin its 
use ; and sooner or later produces disorders of the stomach and 
liver, and results in the ruin of body and mind. Like all the other 
narcotic stimulants, it proves itself to be a vampire, draining the 
life-blood of its victim. 

Its effects upon the system are not antagonistic to those of opium 
and morphine ; nor are they powerful enough to give appreciable 
relief to the tortures of those who are endeavoring to abandon their 
use. And although it is but a few years since it was first published 
as a remedy for the opium habit, and though it was eagerly grasped 
at by the victims of the opium disease, as they always grasp at every 
straw of hope that drifts by them, yet already it is going out of date 
and needs no further consideration as an alleviative ; but I will have 
more to say about its alkaloid, cocaine, further on, when considering 
the cocaine habit. 

JAMAICA DOGWOOD. 

This may be either the bark or root of the Cornus Florida Linne, 
a small tree indigenous to the United States, but called Jamaica 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 77 

dogwood because first found on that island. It is known to the 
profession as a mild narcotic and anodyne, though not used to any 
extent by physicians in the treatment of the opium habit. It has been 
made the basis of nostrums which are advertised by unprincipled 
men as "opium cures." It has no efficiency in opium disease. The 
same may be said oikctuarium, hyoscyamus, valerian, and lupulin. 

BROMIDES. 

The Bromides are a large family, and are used very generally by 
physicians. They are the sheet anchor of every physician in nervous 
troubles. They are chiefly valuable in quieting non-inflammatory 
excitement of the reflex centers of the peripheral afferent nerves. 
In a word, for allaying general nervous excitement ; and are, there- 
fore, used largely for the purpose of inducing sleep in those who are 
undergoing the tortures of the Levenstem method, or that of "rapid 
reduction ;" but are virtually of no effect. Sometimes, when given 
in excessive doses, they may exert a slight quieting influence ; but 
usually, to a patient in the stress of the opium agony, they are like so 
much water. 

ALCOHOLIC STIMULANTS. 

Considerable use is made by those who adopt the methods of 
treatment mentioned in the last paragraph, of alcoholic stimulants. 

A writer who published an account of his experiences as a 
morphine user, in the Atlantic Monthly, years ago, used whisky to 
stop the terrible gnawing sensation which he experienced in his 
stomach when battling with the opium habit. He claimed to have 
been successful in his attempt to abandon the use of the "drug;" 
but, as he had twice before abstained for some time, and twice 
resumed the habitual and excessive use of morphine, it is impossible 
to know his actual condition. Alcohol, in the form of brandy or 
whisky, may temporarily stupify, although it cannot accomplish 
even that for those who are in the midst of tortures of "rapid reduc- 
tion " or "entire cessation " from opium. If sometimes it gives quiet, 
it does not heal, and it is not a staff which the patient can lean upon. 

QUININE. 

The main ingredient ( besides morphine ) of the earliest, and 
probably the most extensively sold, of the'secret nostrums which are 
advertised for curing the opium habit, is quinine. 



78 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

This is the remedy which the brilliant, but unfortunate, Fitz 
Hugh Ludlow referred to, near the end of his life, as an "antidote " 
to opium using. He, in all probability, did not know of what it 
consisted, but wrote in all honesty; but multitudes of opium con- 
sumers have been deceived by the unwarranted use of his name. It 
is unnecessary to say that a remedy composed of morphine, quinine, 
and glycerine cannot cure the opium habit. 

Thus I have gone through the list of medical agents used by 
the profession, and by individuals outside of it, in the treatment of 
the opium habit. I have had abundant opportunities for trying and 
testing them all, the new as well as the old, throughout an expe- 
rience of more than twenty years. 

And to-day, I will venture to assert, that in all the nostrums 
put upon the market as "fcures" for the opium and morphine dis- 
ease, no other agents are relied upon. 

Atropia, quinine, coca, nux vomica, cannabis indica, and Ja- 
maica dogwood (being named it the order which represents the 
extent to which each is at present used), or combinations of one or 
more of them, are the chief agents now in general use by the pro- 
fession, and by outsiders in the treatment of the opium disease. 

But there is still another medicine, the latest discovered, and 
the most potent agent known for the curative treatment of this dis- 
ease. This I now proceed to discuss. 



CHAPTEE XV. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT. — CONTINUED. 
A SUCCESSFUL REMEDY. 

Having treated of the nature and value of the various remedial 
agents in general or limited use among the medical profession for 
the treatment of opium disease, I now come to speak of the only 
remedy known to exist which is wholly successful and satisfactory. 
That it is a perfect cure for the opium habit, as well as for other 
forms of habitual narcotization, has been absolutely demonstrated 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 79 

in a great number of cases. It must, in the near future, take the 
place of all the dangerous, cumbrous, tedious, and torturing meth- 
ods of treating the disease now in vogue. Barred windows, padded 
rooms, costly methods of hygienic treatment, expensive arrange- 
ments for nursing and attendance — all the paraphernalia of the 
present most approved methods of treatment can be dispensed with. 
Patients need no longer be deprived of their liberty, or watched as 
if they were intent on burglary or murder. All these things will 
fall into disuse, because they will be unnecessary. The opium pa- 
tient can be cured without entering a penitentiary or a torture- 
chamber. By methods of treatment simple and mild, but thor- 
oughly effective, he can be delivered from his bondage into perfect 
liberty. The remedial agent to which I refer is the 

DOUBLE CHLORIDE OF GOLD, 

more commonly known as the Chloride of Gold and Sodium. 

After many years of investigation and experiment to find a 
remedy which would cure habitual drunkenness and the opium 
habit, I was led, by accident, to experiment with the salts of gold. 
The action of the double chloride was such, in several cases, that I 
became satisfied that I had made a genuine scientific discovery, viz : 
that this salt is a specific for the treatment and perfect cure of the 
abnormal nervous condition caused by habitual stimulation. My 
first experiments were in the direction of curing excessive alcohol- 
ism, and proved uniformly and almost miraculously successful. 

After several hundred cases of habitual drinking had been suc- 
cessfully treated, I found myself in constant receipt of letters 
written by opium and morphine users, asking earnestly if the 
Double Chloride of Gold would not cure them also. My own interest 
in this question was intensified by these appeals, and I at last suc- 
ceeded in applying the agent now under consideration to the treat- 
ment of the opium habit, and found it to be an absolute specific for 
that disease. 

The use of gold in medicine is not new. It dates back as far as 
the days of alchemy, when it was held in high esteem by the fol- 
lowers of that science. It was said by the learned savants of that 
age to possess extraordinary curative properties, and was frequently 
prescribed in mental affections, hypochondriasis, 'nervous diseases 
and convulsions. Although so highly recommended by such men as 



80 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

Horst, Poterius and Paracelsus, yet it did not come into general use ; 
and when the science of alchemy began to decay it was almost en- 
tirely discontinued. In 1810, Chrestien revived the subject ; and in 
1821 published his " Eesearches and Observations of the Effects of 
the Preparations of Gold," in which he fully describes his experi- 
ments with it. Other physicians began to make investigations, and 
Riecke, Orflla, Niel, Cullerier, Jr., Wendt, Ligrand, S. L. Mitchell, 
Kopp, Baudelocque, Devergie, Meissner, G-rotzner, Gozzi, Chavannes, 
Jahn, Pourche, Eecamier, and many others, enriched the literature 
of the age with their observations and experiments. These, how- 
ever, were principally confined to melancholia, insanity, syphilis, 
scrofulous diseases, cancer, dropsy, tumors, etc. The result of this 
general inquiry into the subject was sufficient to awaken an exten- 
sive interest in gold as a medicine, and finally to give it a place in 
our modern pharmacopoeias. 

Its chief application has been external. In its various prepara- 
tions it was commonly made into an ointment or syrup for local 
application to the diseased parts. In some cases the powder itself 
was thus employed. When it was administered internally it had to 
be given in small doses, on account of its potency and the danger 
attending its use. 

The Double Chloride of Gold, or the chloride of gold and sodium, 
is made by dissolving eighty-five parts by weight of chloride of gold, 
and sixteen parts of chloride of sodium in a certain quantity of dis- 
tilled water. The solution is evaporated by a gentle heat until a 
pellicle forms, and is then put aside to crystallize. It is of a bright 
yellow color, and is now extensively prepared by manufacturing 
chemists, who put it up in small vials, containing fifteen grains 
each. For the purposes of administration, this powder had to be 
made into a solution, or else into pills, but its use was always con- 
sidered dangerous. My first experiments with it were made in pill 
form, but the results were so unsatisfactory that it had to be aban- 
doned. Every dose had to be carefully watched in order to counter- 
act any evil effects which might be produced by an overdose, or result 
from idiosyncrasies of the patient. The great difficulty always has 
been to know how to gauge the dose in each individual case. The 
same trouble has been experienced by all those who have essayed to 
use this powerful medicine in general practice. So little is known 
upon this branch of the subject, that even professors of medical col- 
leges, and consulting physicians of asylums, have been unable to 



OK, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 81 

determine the average quantity which should be used. The result 
is that they have been compelled to give it in doses too small to be 
of practical service, and yet large enough to demonstrate some of 
its remarkable qualities. This is because science had failed to dis- 
cover any adequate method of preparing and administering this 
medicine so that results would be in a measure uniform, and also in 
such a manner as to preclude all danger of salivation or other unfa- 
vorable consequences. Notwithstanding all this difficulty, I am in 
receipt of many letters from phj^sicians who have given the chloride 
of gold and sodium in its crude form in small doses, and their opium 
patients have thus been able to reduce the daily quantity of the 
"drug " very considerably. 

In order to prepare the chloride of gold and sodium for general 
use in the treatment of the opium disease, it was essential to bear in 
mind the following facts : 

1st. That this agent is, of itself, exceedingly powerful, and 
cannot be used in its ordinary state, except under the immediate 
supervision of a physician who is fully acquainted with its nature 
and effects. 

2d. That to become a practical remedy for the opium habit it 
must be so prepared that it can be put into the hands of patients at 
their own homes. Unless it can be self-administered with entire 
safety, its use would necessarily be greatly restricted, and its benefits 
confined to those who could afford private or hospital treatment. 

It required several years of study and experiment to discover the 
means by which these conditions could be met. There were, also, 
besides the main feature of nerve degeneration, certain other abnor- 
mal conditions of the physical organs, in opium disease, which a 
true remedy must meet and overcome. I at last succeeded in discov- 
ering a menstruum which eliminates all excess of the gold from the 
system as it is taken in, and accomplishes this quietly and mildly, 
without any shock or disturbing reactive effects. As thus prepared 
it is practically impossible to take an overdose of the remedy, as the 
frequency of the dose prescribed for ordinary treatment can be 
doubled or trebled, when necessary, without any injurious effects. 
It can, with perfect safety, be placed in the hands of the opium pa- 
tient for self -administration. And it will cure any case of opium 
disease, in which the patient has enough of body and mind remain- 
ing to retain life for six weeks after beginning treatment. This 
implied exception is made simply because cases in which lesion of 



82 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

the brain exists are incapable of cure. In all other cases the patient 
can he cured, in the broadest meaning of the word, and cured, vir- 
tually, without suffering 

From the beginning of this century, and even earlier, the best 
known medical writers have spoken highly of the efficacy of gold in 
the treatment of scrofula, syphilis and cancer, and doubtless the 
only reason why it has not come to be universally employed in these 
diseases is the fact that its administration is attended with so many 
difficulties. The expensiveness of the remedy has prevented those 
extended experiments in hospital practice which are regarded as 
essential to establishing the therapeutical value of a medicine. The 
great cost of this agent is given by Yelpeau as his reason for discon- 
tinuing a series of experiments which he instituted with this salt of 
gold at La Charite. 

The fact that it was long since proved to be efficacious in treat- 
ing scrofula, cancer and syphilis, might have long ago at least sug- 
gested its adaptability to opium and alcohol diseases. If it can 
arrest the action upon the system, and even overcome and eliminate 
such powerful poisons as those which cause the diseases specified, 
why might it not also master and expel the poison with which opium 
saturates its habitual consumer? It is not claimed that the Double 
Chloride of Gold will cure a case of acute opium poisoning, but that 
it will cleanse, renew and re-create the system poisoned by the ha- 
bitual use of the " drug." 

The use of gold by the histologist to develop microscopical 
nerves, may, perhaps, be said to indicate that nerve fibre has a pecu- 
liar affinity for that metal. The application of it in solution brings 
out nerves which otherwise would be invisible. When the fact is 
recognized that absorption by lifeless fibre is quite unlike assimila- 
tion or reconstruction of that which is vitalized, then the develop- 
ment of lifeless microscopic nerves by a solution of gold may be in 
part owing to some of the recondite forces which cause the gold, 
taken into the circulation, to reconstruct living ones. 

The primary action of gold is upon the higher cerebral nerve 
centres. It acts directly upon the nerve tissue which is most un- 
stable, or that is highest in its complex development and function. 
This nerve tissue is the brain. It first brings the consciousness out 
of its stupor, and liberates the will. One of the early effects of my 
preparation of gold is to give the opium user will power. A physi- 
cian in Indiana wrote me : "If it requires will power to effect a 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 83 

cure, you need not send your remedy, because I have none." About a 
week after commencing treatment he wrote : "I believe I now have 
will-power enough to cure myself." This is the uniform testimony 
of all patients, and is indicative of the remarkable action of gold 
upon the brain tissue. 

Gold is the true physiological antipathic to opium. Opium 
produces isomeric change of the nerve fibers, a condition which has 
already been fully described in a preceding chapter. The action of 
gold is ( 1 ) to arrest this process of isomeric change, and ( 2 ) to 
restore the nerves to their normal condition. The nerves distant 
from the brain are the last to be reached, and during the process of 
treatment the patient will have some aches and pains — the cry of 
these nerves for opium ; toward the close of treatment they will 
manifest themselves, particularly in the lower limbs and feet, nor 
will they disappear, as a general rule, until every portion has felt 
the beneficial action of the gold. 

It has been repeatedly observed that this preparation enables 
the patient to reduce his daily allowance of opium without any 
marked inconvenience. The gold^has such a prompt and positive 
effect upon the system that the process of rebuilding commences at 
once. This is one of the most favorable results obtained from the 
use of this remedy. The patient does not find himself gradually 
losing strength as he proceeds with treatment; on the contrary, 
bodily and mental vigor are rapidly developed, and thus a cure is 
materially hastened. Without this medicament the reduction of 
the " drug " would involve intolerable suffering ; but with it the pa- 
tient can not only reduce the morphine rapidly, but at the same 
time his system is being built up and renewed. At the close of treat- 
ment there is often such a marked change for the better in the per- 
sonal appearance as to cause surprise to even intimate friends. 

In a state of morphism the nerve fibers are chemically changed 
by the action of opium. The system is poisoned by opium. The 
nerves are in an abnormal condition which demands a continuance 
of the poison in order to live ; and if the opium is diminished or 
withdrawn, the victim is subjected to intense pain until the demand 
of the nervous system is complied with and the poison again admin- 
istered. The preparation of gold modifies and changes this condition 
of abnormal life. By arresting the process of isomeric change it 
curtails the demand for morphine ; by reversing the process it still 
further decreases it. By eliminating the poison of opium from the 



84 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

nerve cells and restoring the molecules to their pristine state it 
takes away all need for the poison ; and thus brings the system into 
that condition of health and purity in which there is neither need 
of nor desire for opium in any form. Neither does it require any 
other stimulus. It is that state of natural health which knows no 
contamination with stimulants or narcotics of any kind. 

As an antiseptic, gold has few equals and no peers in the materia 
medica. This has been demonstrated by Hoffman, Meissner, G-ozzi, 
Kopp, and others who have used it in cancerous and scrofulous 
aif ections. In opium patients whose bodies are covered with nodu- 
lations, sores, pimples, blotches, tumors, and ulcers, resulting from 
the poison of the "drug," remarkable effects have been produced by 
the use of gold. The sores rapidly heal up and pass away, even 
without the use of any liniment or local application whatever. 
Patients who are afflicted with concurrent ailments, growing out of 
their habit, find that the gold entirely relieves them ; and when the 
last vestige of poison is expelled from the system they find them- 
selves restored to an absolutely normal condition, in which the 
functions of the body perform their allotted duties without the aid 
of any foreign stimulus whatever. 

This therapeutical application of the Chloride of Gold and 
Sodium should be widely known ; the more so because it presents 
the only known scientific remedy for the Opium disease. The med- 
ical world has so long sought after a positive antipathic to the 
poison of the poppy, and the victims of the habit have so long been 
imposed upon by conscienceless charlatans, that many have long 
ceased to hope for a solution of the problem which seemed to puzzle 
the science of the ages. The discovery of a positive remedy in the 
Chloride of Gold and Sodium, and its definite and unimpeachable 
character as a curative agent being settled by pathological demon- 
stration as well as practical test, is a fact which is of intense 
interest to hundreds of thousands of people. 

The sufferer from opium disease may have the absolute assur- 
ance of cure, and at a cost of suffering so insignificant, so dispro- 
portionate to the duration of his habit and the hold that it has 
upon him, he will not regard it as suffering. The patient will 
emerge with clear, bright eyes ; clean blood ; with a brain capable 
of healthy activity ; with energy of body and mind ; and with 
capacities for achievement such as inspired the ambitions of his 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 85 

young, unpoisoned years. The expelled opium poison will have 
taken with it physical weakness and disorders. 

The virile powers, so often weakened, or even paralyzed, by the 
opium habit, will be fully restored, and a source of secret shame and 
self-disgust will thus be removed. And, what is perhaps the best, 
as well as the most wonderful of all, the craving for opiates will be 
as completely extinguished as if it had never existed. The patient 
is placed back, in this respect, to the days in which he had not 
tasted or longed for the intoxicant, and his life and his fortunes are 
once more subject to the control of his own will and judgment. 

Note.— While these pages are passing through the press, I 
notice that one or two physicians have been lately using the Double 
Chloride of G-old in the treatment of opium disease. While I am 
glad that the attention of the profession has been directed to this 
agent by what I have published, I cannot emphasize too much the 
need of extreme caution in exhibiting it. I did not venture to use 
it continuously, even in cases under my constant supervision, until 
I had, as stated in the foregoing chapter, after several years of 
investigation and careful experiment, discovered a menstruum which 
would harmlessly eliminate all excess of the gold from the system, 
thus making it perfectly safe to give this powerful agent in con- 
tinuous and effective doses. I may add that the reported cases, so 
far as I have seen them, of the use of the Double Chloride of Gold 
for the opium habit, show that those who have prescribed it have 
not reached an accurate knowledge upon the subject. Indeed, to 
give it without an eliminant is dangerous in every case, and is 
entirely impracticable in self or home treatment. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT.— SPECIAL TREATMENT. 

Having detailed those plans of treatment and drugs which have 
been tried and found to be of no value ; and having also specified 
the only known medical agent which has been proved to possess 
special curative powers in the Opium and Morphia Habit, it now 
only remains to indicate the line of concurrent treatment which 



86 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

should be adopted in connection with the use of the Double Chloride 
of Gold. 

This could be best illustrated by giving a detailed account of 
cases under my personal supervision. In doing this, I would present 
an entirely different plan to any hitherto known. Some who have 
published accounts of daily treatment have gone into the minutest 
details; have narrated every varying change as it occurred, and 
shown just what particular means were used to correct any little 
difficulty which might arise. For instance, if the patient had 
slight feverish symptoms, quinine would be administered at once ; 
if there was a feeling of restlessness and nervousness, some sedative 
would immediately be given. Thus the patient would be continually 
taking different medicines to meet and counteract different phases of 
the disease. This is the treatment of symptoms of effects, not of 
causes. And herein lies the principal difference between the general 
plans of treatment hitherto published and the one which I have 
adopted. I direct all my efforts to the seat of the disease, upon the 
theory that if the cause be removed, the effects will also disappear. 
In fact, the aches, .pains, and other troubles incident to the process 
of cure are all consequent upon the diseased condition of the nerves 
as described in the chapter on pathological conditions. 

The first and principal duty of the physician is, therefore, to 
address himself to the nerves and their functions, and restore them 
to their normal condition. Normally, they require no morphia, the 
structure and function of the nerve are its equivalent of sufficient 
food, and the system is in a state of health. Abnormally, the 
nerves do require morphia, for the reason that they have undergone 
a chemical change which causes them to demand a constant 
stimulus. 

The action of the Double Chloride of Gold upon the nerve fibers, 
as has already been shown, is very prompt and effective ; it reverses 
the isomeric change produced by opium, and gives them the power 
to perform their functions in accordance with organic laws. The 
Chloride of Gold and Sodium will have this effect in any event, if it 
is properly prepared and administered, and there is no need of any 
other medical agent. It stands alone as the only known, positive 
antipathic to Opium and Morphia. All other treatment ° is simply 
auxiliary, and as such is helpful to the patient. It will be seen, 
therefore, that my method of personal treatment does not consist in 
frequent and special medication, varied, from hour to hour, as 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 87 

occasion may seem to warrant ; but it consists of steady pursuit of a 
fixed object according to a fixed plan. 

It will also be noticed that my system of reduction contains 
some entirely new features. Hitherto they have been only the plans 
of sudden deprivation, rapid reduction, and gradual reduction. My 
plan is one of reduction and extension combined. If the patient is 
in the habit of taking, say, twelve grains of sulphate of morphia 
every twenty-four hours when he comes under treatment, I reduce 
him, at once, to six grains every twenty-four hours, and afterwards 
by easy stages, till one-half a grain per day is reached. Then I 
usually begin the extension process. This consists in lengthening 
out the intervals between the doses of the "drug." If the patient 
has been taking his daily allowance at a given time, and making it 
last him twenty-four hours, I enlarge the interval to thirty hours 
on, say, one-half grain ; then I increase it to thirty-six hours ; then I 
reduce the quantity to one-fourth of a grain, and take the patient 
along for forty hours ; then I reduce the quantity to one-eighth of a 
grain, and make it last for forty-eight hours ; then repeat it ; then 
take him through sixty hours ; then give him a final dose of one- 
eighth of a grain, and let that be the last. 

Of course these suggestions of reduction and extension are not 
intended to be exact; they simply illustrate the principle. It is 
impossible to lay down a rule which shall fit every case, and the 
physician must be governed largely by the condition of the patient. 
Sometimes the extension will have to be modified, and at others it 
can be materially increased. In some cases the extension can be 
made from the beginning of treatment ; in others, no progress can be 
made with it till the last grain is reached. Some will quit the habit 
on one-half grain allowance daily; others have to taper off to an 
eighth of a grain before the cure is made. It will be found that 
whenever the regular hour for taking the "drug" can be passed with 
impunity, that a great advance has been made, and the intervals 
can be extended with comparative ease. Sometimes it is advisable 
to divide up the quantity, and instead of giving one grain every 
forty-eight hours, give half a grain every twenty-four hours. The 
principal point is to break up the periodicity of taking, and reduce 
the quantity at the same time. 

And yet, this must not be done at the expense of food and sleep. 
No opportunity to sleep or eat must be neglected, and care must be 
exercised to prevent, as far as possible, the loss of appetite and rest. 



88 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

The morphia user eats and sleeps too little, and far from being 
retarded in these things, his system must he judiciously encouraged. 
He must not he allowed to reach a stage of exhaustion or partial 
collapse, as it can do no good, hut frequently does much harm. He 
must never go too long without giving him some morphia, he it ever 
so little. It is the object of the true physician to build up the 
system of his patient, and it is a mistake to suppose that it must 
first be broken down. It serves no useful purpose, but causes the 
patient unnecessary inconvenience and suffering, which should be 
carefully avoided in every case. 

Honesty with a patient is an essential to success. As soon as 
he comes under treatment he should be placed en rapport with his 
physician, as fully as possible. He should be taken into partnership, 
in the matter of treatment, and taught to place implicit reliance, 
not only in the method, but also in the physician. My plan is to 
ask the patient for his morphia, and tell him that whenever he 
wants any to come to me, and I will give him all he wants. I tell 
him I will not let him suffer needlessly, nor expect him to deprive 
himself unnecessarily, but I will always give him morphia when 
he needs it. I place him at his ease, and establish a bond of mutual 
trustfulness, telling him that if he will do his part I will do mine, 
and the result will be a complete cure. I regard this feeling of 
absolute trust in one another as highly important. If your patient 
will not deal with you honestly there is a reason for it, and it is 
generally because you do not invite his confidence. 

Too frequently the doctor holds his patient at arm's length, and 
assumes an air of professional dignity. However appropriate this 
may be in general practice, I do not say ; but it is certainly out of 
place in the treatment of victims of the Opium and Morphia habit. 
They are cunning, shrewd, sly, deceptive, and frequently dishonest, 
as to their habit. They must be drawn into a close relationship 
with the doctor who treats them f they must be taught to regard 
him as their friend as well as their medical adviser ; they must have 
a thorough belief in his desire, as well as his ability, to cure ; and 
they must feel that he is always perfectly honest in his dealings 
with them. If he ever deceives a patient and is found out, his 
influence is gone. He becomes a charlatan and a trickster in his 
patient's eyes, and loses that respect and confidence which he ought 
to have. 

In order to maintain this he must never promise morphia, and 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 89 

then fail to keep his word ; when the patient finds out, by experience, 
that the doctor is true to him in this regard, he will cease his cun- 
ning efforts to obtain the "drug" secretly and will even give up 
any that he may have hidden away. I have had this done in many 
instances. If the physician fails to keep his promise, the patient 
will soon find ways and means of procuring morphia secretly, and 
thus the cure will be delayed, if, indeed, it ever be consummated at 
all When he is deprived of his liberty and placed in charge of a hos- 
pital nurse, who also fills the position of a guard, this establishment 
of a bond of confidence between doctor and patient is not taken 
into account. The poor victim is searched, and every particle of 
morphia taken from him as soon as he enters the institution, and 
thereafter he is closely guarded and watched. He is not treated 
like a rational, sentient being, in whose breast manhood still holds 
sway ; but he is regarded more like an unthinking animal, and 
expected to "suffer it out " according to the notion of the governing 
power who has him under his care. 

I cannot find language sufficiently strong in which to deprecate 
this unmanly style of treatment. It is contrary to the principles of 
good sense, and is opposed to humanitarian feelings. It begets sus- 
picion, distrust, dishonesty and animosity. The patient is simply a 
prisoner, and is not allowed to have any volition of his own. He is 
not called upon to exercise any function of his brain, but is to fol- 
low the dictates of a man in whom he can piace but little reliance. 
Confidence begets confidence ; and it is always better to make your 
patient a warm-hearted, true friend from the first, than to compel 
him to be a suspicious enemy. 

The patient must also learn to place reliance in himself. He 
must exercise his will-power as soon as possible, and bring it to bear 
upon his cure. Under the influence of the Double Chloride of Gold 
the will soon begins to assert itself, and he should be encouraged to 
exercise it and develop its strength as rapidly as he can. By this 
means he will greatly facilitate the treatment and hasten his cure. 

Patients who place themselves under my personal care are pro- 
vided with quiet, cheerful boarding places wi^h private families, and 
are recognized as patients in my general practice. They are' thus 
largely screened from obtrusive observation, and can enjoy the com- 
forts of a home during treatment. To my mind this is infinitely 
preferable to a hospital. I put no restraint whatever upon them ; 
they are gentlemen and ladies, and entitled to full respect. They 



90 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

consequently have full liberty, and they never abuse it. By thus 
showing I can trust them, and evidencing my interest in them, they 
at once place implicit reliance in me, and half the battle is won. 
They come to me readily if they need morphia, and willingly carry 
out my plans for their cure. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT. — SELF OR HOME TREATMENT. 

I come now to that plan or method of treatment which can be 
safely carried out in one's own home without the personal superin- 
tendence of a physician. And, in introducing this subject to the 
reader, I would say that it must not be supposed that every case can 
be so treated. Hitherto it has been held by physicians that the 
Opium disease could only be treated in a hospital, a sanitarium, or 
under the immediate and constant supervision of a physician and a 
competent nurse. The practice of advertising speedy cures, by 
charlatans and empirics, has been frowned upon by the medical pro- 
fession because it was well understood that the much advertised 
" cures" never cured at all. Reputable physicians, however, have 
not hesitated to trumpet their own praises in medical journals and 
the daily press, and to speak highly of the methods they employ to 
cure the habit in the institutions which they represent, liut the 
poor victim is always told that his only hope is to enter a sanita- 
rium, and go through the course of treatment therein prescribed. 

It is undoubtedly true that the only way in which many cases 
can be successfully treated is to place them in charge of a physician ; 
but even when this is done, a nurse and rigid rules of imprisonment 
are wholly unnecessary, as I have already clearly shown. But there 
are tens of thousands of people to-day who need a cure, and yet are 
unable to pay for special treatment. They could be taken care of, 
and the medicine and morphia administered by relatives and friends, 
if such a course would be successful, and thus save much unnecessary 
expense. Then there are tens of thousands more who earnestly realize 
their condition, and desire a cure so much that they are willing to 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 91 

follow any directions which will lead to their ultimate recovery. 
These two classes can be treated at home with perfect success. 

Home treatment necessarily takes longer than that which is 
pursued under a physician's care. One reason for this is because the 
patient, when left to himself, does not always follow directions as 
carefully as he ought to. He is often induced to follow his own 
judgment, instead of that of his prescribing physician, and hence 
omits important instructions. Then again, the plan laid down must 
be uniform, and adapted as nearly as possible to all cases. It is evi- 
dent that some will progress faster than others ; some can be pushed 
along at a rapid rate, while others have to take their time. While 
a uniform plan will be successful in every case, it will necessarily 
make the progress of cure longer in some than it would if the treat- 
ment were specially and personally conducted under my own super- 
vision. I have succeeded in obviating much of this difficulty by 
preparing a printed blank report, which, when filled out, accurately 
states the patient's condition at any given time. When I treat anyone 
at a distance I furnish these reports, accompanied with printed en- 
velopes, and request that one be filled out and mailed to me every 
third day. By this means I can keep posted as to the progress made, 
and learn the exact condition of my patient, and thus give him any 
advice which may be necessary. This system of reports also enables 
me to ascertain whether my instructions are being properly carried 
out or not. The varying phases of the Opium disease, and its com- 
plications with other diseases, make these reports very essential. 

THE MEDICINE NECESSARY. 

There are general rules for self-treatment which can be recom- 
mended for every case, and which will always result in a cure. It is 
hardly necessary to say that the most important one is the regular 
taking of the medicine prescribed. I never give anything but the 
Double Chloride of Gold. Usually this must be taken every two 
hours while awake. If the patient finds that he can sleep at night 
without the use of morphia, he need not take the remedy during 
the night. But if he is wakeful and restless, he must continue 
taking the remedy according to directions, but must on no account 
take any extra morphia. If the remedy is too strong for the stom- 
ach or causes nausea, the dose must be reduced, but the frequency 
of giving it must ai/ways be maintained. It is a mistake to 



92 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

suppose that the omission of a few doses now and then will make no 
difference. Every hour the poison of Opium is doing its deadly 
work, and no opportunity must be lost to counteract its influence. 
Each dose of the remedy does its allotted work, and the accumula- 
tion, by gradual degrees, of many doses, effects a cure. The omis- 
sion to take the medicine simply retards the progress one step every 
time it is done. I cannot lay too much stress upon this matter, 
because it is one of vital importance. 1 have sometimes been sur- 
prised at the poor success 1 have had with patients at a distance, 
who only reported occasionally and whose reports showed very little 
to have been accomplished. Inquiry developed the fact that, in 
nearly every instance, the remedy had been taken just whenever it 
suited the patient. If the patient cannot be trusted in this matter, 
then some relative or friend should see that each dose is taken at the 
proper time. Upon this the cure largely depends, and if the patient 
will not, or his friends cannot, attend to it, he had better not at- 
tempt home treatment, but place himself under the care of a com- 
petent physician. 

No hesitancy need be felt about taking the Double Chloride of 
Gold as frequently as indicated in the directions. As has already 
been stated in a previous chapter, my method of preparing this po- 
tent medical agent is such that it is positively non-injurious to even 
the most delicate organism. Neither do I ever prescribe opium or 
put it in any preparation which I give. A physician who claims to 
have been recently cured in a sanitarium says, " The only remedy 
for the opium habit is opium." This theory has always been held by 
the charlatans, who have sent out barrels of medicine (?) of which 
opium formed the chief ingredient. Their scale of prices for this 
stuff was based, and is yet based, upon the quantity of opium or 
morphia taken by the patient each day, thus conclusively showing 
that a proportionate quantity of opium is put in the "antidote." 
Every time a patient orders a fresh supply from these fraudulent 
dealers, he has to state exactly and precisely how much of the 
"drug" he takes daily, so that the new supply can be accurately 
graded and the quantity slightly reduced. This system of peddling 
out Opium and calling it medicine is carried on month after month, 
until the patient has spent all his money or died. The instructions 
invariably given by these tricksters are that no more than the dose 
prescribed must be taken on any account. Neither must it be taken 
more frequently than ordered. Then nobody must be allowed to 



OR. THE FETTERS BROKEX. 93 

touch it but the patient, and it must be kept out of the way of chil- 
dren. All this is necessary when Opium is given as the remedy for 
the Opium Habit, but it is isror necessary with the Double Chloride 
of Gold as prepared by me. It can be taken by anyone. If the pa- 
tient thinks it necessary he can take an extra dose at any time. 
The patient can depend upon the Double Chloride of Gold always 
and invariably, and he would better take a few extra dose* than 
omit any of those regularly prescribed. » 

BATHS. 

A valuable feature of home treatment is that of bathing. As a 
general rule I recommend a bath every second day in water suffi- 
ciently hot not to be uncomfortable, and after each bath the body 
should be vigorously rubbed with a flesh brush or a hard crash towel. 
It is not enough to simply dry the body; it should be rubbed 
quickly until it is in a gentle glow. When the patient has been in 
the habit of taking regular cold baths, he may continue them in 
place of the hot, but the body must always be rubbed as above de- 
scribed. If vapor, sitz, or Turkish baths can be easily procured, they 
may be used, but always with care and not too frequently, and 
not oftener than twice a week. 

It sometimes happens that patients omit the bath as often as 
possible, partly from the inconvenience attending the operation, and 
partly because the necessary equipment is not always available in 
private families. "When this is the case, the sponge bath should be 
used freely, followed by the rubbing. This frequent bathing of the 
body opens the emunctories of the skin for elimination of the poison, 
and promotes health. Pains in the limbs are often relieved by it, 
and it is a producer of restfulness and sleep. 

EXERCISE. 

It is not possible for a patient to get too much exercise in a mild 
way. The muscles of the legs are the last to give out, and he can 
walk when he feels unable to do anything else. Walking is the best 
method in which exercise can be taken, and is always available. If, 
however, the patient is too weak, he should be driven out every day 
in an open carriage. Walking may be confined to a short stroll of 
a few hundred yards, but should be persisted in as often and as long 



94 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

as possible. The patient will find great advantage in doing this, 
and it will facilitate his cure. It is often difficult to get morphia 
users to exert themselves at all. Too frequently they are inclined 
to sit or lie down and wait for developments. Their lack of will- 
power predisposes them to this, and when they are under medical 
treatment they are apt to rely wholly upon the remedy and make no 
effort to help themselves. The Double Chloride of Gold gives will- 
power in a very few dajjs, and the patient should then use it to the 
best of his ability. One patient said that he could not "see any 
sense in walking a mile or two unless he was going somewhere or 
had some business on hand." He did not apprehend that getting 
cured was a very important "business," and needed constant atten- 
tion. It is time and health gained to take long, fatiguing walks as 
often as possible. In the summer time light garden work is very 
healthful. Hunting, rowing and other athletic exercises, are always 
beneficial when the patient is strong enough to avail himself of 
them. 

DIET. 

The Morphia User generally has no appetite for food. At the 
commencement of treatment he should take Valentine's meat 
juice, strong beef tea, raw eggs beaten up with milk or cream, or 
chicken broth. His food should always be plain and nourishing. 
Fancy dishes should be avoided. Hot pickles, spices, mustard and 
similar co-ndiments, should not be allowed. A good, wholesome diet 
is all that is necessary. When there is an entire absence of appe- 
tite, Yalentine's meat juice, or Johnston's Fluid Beef, will be found 
very valuable, as it will give support to the system, and at the same 
time act very beneficially upon the stomach. In some cases, ale, 
stout, or porter, can be taken in moderate quantities, but only when 
the patient is without an appetite, or when he is very weak. My 
remedy usually brings a desire for food back again in from one to 
two weeks after commencing treatment. He will then be hungry all 
the time. It will be almost a craving with him, and he will not be 
able to satisfy himself with regular meals. At this time great care 
should be used not to injure the stomach, or retard recovery by eat- 
ing anything at all injurious. As before observed, let the diet be 
plain and wholesome ; eat slowly at table, taking care to masticate 
the food thoroughly, and if any craving for food, eat between meals. 
During the winter months fish will be found a pleasant and nutri- 
tious food. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 95 

REGULAR HABITS. 

Regularity in the performance of various duties will be found 
very helpful, especially in regard to meals and rest. Each meal 
should be taken at a given hour and the time closely adhered to. 
The patient should retire to bed early, and at about the same hour 
every night. When the patient is not engaged in business, or gives 
his whole time to the treatment of his case, he should have every 
part of it laid down and carried out according to a given plan or 
rule. The remedy must be taken regularly, and the exercise and 
bathing should each have their proper places in the day's treatment. 
If everything is done haphazard, or just as it happens to suit the 
convenience, whim or memory of the patient, results will be slow 
and uncertain. He must make up his mind that he has an import- 
ant work on hand, that demands careful attention, and each part of 
it must be promptly carried out. He should avoid close, dull, dingy 
rooms as far as practicable, and get plenty of fresh, pure air and 
sunlight. If he can read, the literature should be light and interest- 
ing, without involving much brain labor. His surroundings should 
be bright and cheerful, his mind should be employed in congenial 
pursuits, and his associations should be pleasant. 

REDUCTION OF THE ;i DRUG." 

One of the most important features of self treatment is the 
proper reduction of the "drug," and extension of the intervals 
between the times of taking it. It does not make any difference 
what form of opium is used, whether it be the Gum Opium, 
Morphia, Laudanum, McMunn's Elixir, Paregoric, or any other 
preparation. Neither does it matter how it is l t sed, whether by 
subcutaneous injection or by the mouth. Neither does the length 
of time it has been used make any difference. Neither does it 
matter how much is daily taken. These questions are of great 
importance when the method of treatment is to substitute one poison 
for another, or when Opium is given as the cure for the Opium 
Habit. But according to my method they have no weight in the 
treatment prescribed. I have cured many patients before I learned 
how much they were in the habit of using daily, or the form of the 
''drug" employed. The gold has a distinct mission to accomplish, 
and it performs it in every case. 



96 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

For home treatment I can only recommend a plan of reduction 
and extension which will, as nearly as possible, suit all cases. It 
can be modified or changed to suit each individual case ; and if the 
patient studies his treatment, he will soon learn how to apply it to 
himself in the way which will bring him the best results. 

Before commencing treatment, weigh accurately the quantity 
of Opium or Morphia sufficient for one day's use; as soon as you 
begin treatment, reduce this quantity exactly one-half, and let this 
be the maximum daily allowance for seven days ; then reduce the 
quantity again one-half (leaving one-fourth of the original quantity), 
and let this be the maximum for the next seven days ; then reduce 
it again one-half (leaving one-eighth), and let this be the maximum 
for the next seven days ; then reduce it again one-half ( leaving one- 
sixteenth ), and let this be the maximum for the next seven days ; 
then abandon its use altogether. 

The above outline will be sufficient to guide the patient in 
treatment, and plainly indicates my system. As before stated, it 
can be varied, modified, and changed to suit each case, but the 
general plan should be adhered to in every case. 

Patients are apt to think that so great a reduction cannot be 
made at one time without incurring severe pains. This is a mis- 
take. If the remedy is taken regularly, and other rules faithfully 
observed, the patient can, in most cases, drop from forty grains to 
ten grains a day without suffering any great inconvenience. 
This can always be done when he is being specially treated, but in 
home treatment I advise a more gradual method of reduction. Un- 
assisted by any medical agent, the reducing process becomes one 
prolonged agony of torture, but in conjunction with the Gold Remedy 
it is an easy, painless progress. At each step the patient receives 
recuperative energy from the Gold treatment, • enabling him to 
abandon the "drug" with comparative ease. In order to avoid 
unnecessary pain, therefore, as well as to give the system preparation 
and strength for the task, it is always best to reduce and extend 
upon the principle I have given. 

Some constitutions will be able to reduce the quantity more 
rapidly than others ; each patient must determine the matter largely 
for himself. Whenever a reduction has been made, he must not 
allow himself to go beyond that quantity again under any consider- 
ation. The rule must invariably be, let the minimum of one day, or 
series of days, be the maximum of the next. Each reduction should 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 97 

be boldly made, and the position maintained. Every point gained 
must be tenaciously held, and, under no pretext whatever, should a 
single iota of gain be given up. To go back again is only to make 
the cure harder and more difficult to accomplish ; to hold on to the 
new position means one more link in the chain of slavery broken, 
one more step taken on the road to freedom. This thought cannot 
be urged too strongly on all who seek a cure. 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 

Throughout treatment the bowels should be kept solvent. 
Before commencing the remedy it is always advisable to take an 
active cathartic, and if the bowels run off freely they must not be 
checked up. It is the working off of the effete matter which has 
accumulated in the system, and as soon as that matter is expelled, 
the bowels will become regular and quiet. As a general rule, mor- 
phia users are very constipated, and in some cases it is difficult to 
get an operation of the bowels at all. 

With the third week, and earlier, if possible, a system of exten- 
sion should be added to the reduction. That is, the intervals 
between doses should be extended. If you went twenty-four hours 
yesterday on a certain amount, let the same quantity suffice for the 
next thirty hours. Rest then, for a day or two, if necessary, firmly 
holding the ground you have gained, and then try to reach thirty-six 
hours ; then forty ; then forty-eight, and so on. Each stage of the 
contest is a long step toward final and complete victory. The Rem- 
edy will constantly reenforce you for a renewal of the struggle; 
and when it has ended in triumph ( as it surely will if these general 
directions are observed ) the patient will feel that he has been almost 
miraculously free from severe suffering. 

If there is an attack of strong craving for the " drug," take a 
dose of the Remedy, and than a hot bath ( a sponge bath is far bet- 
ter than nothing ) followed by a brisk walk. This helps to carry 
out the system of "extension." Remember, also, that the sudden 
attacks of craving are at first of brief duration, with considerable 
intervals between them. Be regular in all your habits, particularly 
in reference to hours of eating and sleeping. Let your diet be gen- 
erous, wholesome, and nourishing. If the appetite be capricious, 
use beef tea, Valentine's meat juice, or raw eggs beaten up w r ith 
milk or cream. In winter add a fish diet, which will be found good 



98 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM*, 

if it can be had. Always keep the bowels open. For this purpose 
use an active cathartic ; and never allow two days to pass without 
an action. 

Do not be alarmed if you are unable to sleep much for several 
nights toward the close of treatment. The sleeplessness will not 
fatigue you. It results from the healing process which nature is 
carrying on within you. As soon as the nerves are freed from Opium, 
and have been built up anew ( as they will be rapidly ), your sleep will 
be as sound and sweet as that of a child. In every case of Cure by 
the Gold Eemedy, the condition of health speedily attained by the 
patient has been remarkable. The powers and faculties are all 
restored, and, once more, as in youth, to live is a delight. 

In some cases these rules will have to be changed somewhat ; 
but they apply to the great majority of cases, and if rigidly fol- 
lowed, will invariably result in a Cure. Do not omit any rule, but 
observe all strictly. 

Two days should never pass without an operation, and, if 
necessary, some favorite cathartic should be taken every night 
before going to bed. 

If at any time during the treatment there is an intense craving 
for Opium or Morphia, take a dose of the Remedy, then a hot bath, 
followed with a vigorous rubbing of the body ; then a brisk walk. 
By this means the interval between the times of taking the " drug " 
may be lengthened out, and the patient will be strengthened. 

It is important that the patient take some Morphia before he 
reaches a point of exhaustion. In lengthening out the interval he 
must not allow himself to break down in the effort to make a given 
number of hours. When he feels weak, or the desire for morphine 
is getting strong, or the pains in his limbs begin to manifest them- 
selves, then he must seek the auxiliary treatment already indicated. 

There are many phases of the opium disease, and the victim is 
sometimes inclined to view certain symptoms with alarm, especially 
if he finds nothing like them mentioned in the books. But there is 
no cause for anxiety at all. Opium is the most insidious, subtle, 
and deceptive poison ever discovered. It acts powerfully upon the 
human system, and with such peculiar systematic energy as almost- 
to seem like a living thing. Where it once obtains a foothold it 
assumes a mastery. Attempt to dislodge it and there is war, 
bitter, relentless war. It will not be driven out by any ordinary 
means, and if you attempt it, the Opium fills your whole body with 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 99 

unendurable tortures, and compels you to relieve them with its own 
poison. If you bring a more powerful agent than itself, and seek 
to expel it from the system, it will not yield without a struggle. 
There will be strange and peculiar symptoms manifested, now and 
again, which are entirely new to the sufferer. They are simply the 
efforts of the " drug " to hold its victim. Suddenly there will come 
a sharp pain, or an unaccountable feeling, in all its intensity. Let 
none of these symptoms distress you ; they are the last efforts of a 
broken power to hold its sway, and continue its victims as slaves in 
chains. All that need be done is to follow directions, take the Gold 
Remedy regularly, and every vestige of the Opium poison must be 
expelled from the system, and you will be restored to the full 
strength of a perfect manhood. 

In order to illustrate more fully my method of home treat- 
ment, as well as for the convenience and guidance of those who 
contemplate treating themselves, I subjoin a hypothetical case, a 
table showing how the Home patient should proceed with his 
treatment. 

PLAN FOR DAILY TREATMENT. 

A. B., in fair health ; no organic diseases ; using morphia by the 
mouth fifteen years ; takes ten grains a day. 

1st day — 7 a. m., remedy; 7:30 a. m., breakfast; 8:30 a. m., 
walking exercise, one mile and back ; 9 a. m., remedy ; 11 a.m., hot 
bath and remedy; 12 m., dinner; 1 p.m., remedy; 2 p. m., walk of 
one mile and return ; 3 p.m., remedy ; 5 p.m., remedy ; 6 p. m., five 
grains of morphia; 6:30 p. m., supper; short walk after supper; 
remedy at 7 and 9 p. m. ; then retire. 

2d day — 7 a. m., remedy; 7:30 a.m., breakfast; 8:30 a. m., walk 
of one mile and return; 9 a. m., remedy; 10 a. m., hot bath; 11 a. 
m., remedy; 12 m., dinner; 1 p.m., remedy; 2 p.m., walk of one 
mile and return ; 3 p. m., remedy ; 4 p. m., walk of one mile and 
return ; 5 p.m., remedy; 6 p.m., five grains of morphia ; 6:30 p. m., sup- 
per : short walk in the evening ; remedy at 7 and 9 p. m.; then retire. 

3d day — 7 a.m., remedy; 7:30 a.m., breakfast; short walks at 
intervals during the morning ; remedy at 9 and 11 a. m.; dinner at 
noon; rest after dinner; 1 p. m., remedy; 2 p. m., brisk walk one 
mile and return ; 3 p. m., remedy and hot bath ; rest until 5 p.m.; 
remedy ; 5:30 p. m., short walk ; 6 p.m., five grains of morphia ; 6:30 
p.m., supper; exercise inevening ; remedy at 7 and 9 p.m.; thenretire. 



100 FROM BOKDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

4th day — 7 a. m., remedy; 7:30 a. m., breakfast ; exercise at in- 
tervals all morning ; remedy at 9 and 11 a. m. ; dinner at noon ; rest 
during first part of afternoon ; remedy at 1 and 3 p. m. ; walk at 4 
p. m.; remedy at 5 p. m.; five grains morphia at 6 p.m.; supper at 
6:30 p. m.; short walk in the evening; remedy at 7 and 9 p. m.; hot 
hath at 9:30, and then retire. This plan should he followed, chang- 
ing the hours of exercise and bath, as above indicated, until the 
close of the seventh day. 

8th day — Eemedy every two hours during the day. Meals as 
before. Exercise and bath at proper hours. At 6 p. m., two and 
one-half grains of morphia. 

9th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise 
as usual ; 6 p. m., two and one-half grains of morphia. This plan 
should be followed until the close of the fourteenth day. 

15th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise 
as usual ; 6 p. m., one and one-fourth grains of morphia. 

16th day— Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise 
as before. At midnight one and one-fourth grains of morphia, 
making a run of thirty hours without any. 

17th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise 
as usual. No morphia this day. 

18th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
At noon, one and one-fourth grains of morphia, making an interval 
of thirty-six hours. 

19th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
At midnight, one and one-fourth grains of morphia, making thirty- 
six hours again. 

20th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
No morphia. 

21st day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
At noon, three-fourths of a grain of morphia, making thirty-six 
hours again. 

22d day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
At midmight, three-fourths of a grain of morphia, making thirty- 
six hours again. 

23d day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
No morphia this day. 

24th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath, and exercise. 
At midnight, three-fourths of a grain of morphia, making forty- 
eight hours. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 101 

25th day — Remedy every two hours. Meals, bath and exercise. 
No morphia. 

26th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath and exercise. 
No morphia. 

27th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath and exercise. 
At noon, one-half grain of morphia, making sixty hours. 

28th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath and exercise. 
Xo morphia. 

29th day — Eemedy every two hours. Meals, bath and exercise. 
At midnight, one-fourth grain of morphia, making sixty hours. 
This is the last morphia that need be taken. The Eemedy should 
be continued through one-half or three-fourths of a bottle, or even a 
whole bottle, in the usual way, to perfectly adjust the system to the 
absence of the "drug," and then another bottle should be taken in 
an easy, irregular and desultory way, to tide the patient over a con- 
valescence that sometimes comes to him from dropping the "drug." 
This convalescence we know as Xerve Exhaustion. 

With this system followed, a cure can be easily effected in one's 
own home without the personal aid of a physician, and without 
any one knowing that he is being treated at all. It does away with 
a great deal of unnecessary expense, trouble, annoyance, and pub- 
licity. Hitherto it has been practically impossible to accomplish 
this, for two reasons : First — There was no Eemedy adequate to the 
necessities of the case. This has been abridged by my discovery of 
the therapeutical action of the Double Chloride of Gold, and its 
successful preparation as a perfect remedy for the opium disease. 
Second — There was no complete and appropriate plan of home treat- 
ment, as but few understood the needs of the opium patient, or 
what was necessary to be done. This has been entirely overcome by 
my method of reduction and extension, which has proved to be the 
only proper and available manner of treating the opium and mor- 
phia habit at home. 

Hundreds of cases treated and cured at their homes fully attest 
this, and clearly demonstrate the fact that it is not necessary for the 
great majority of patients to place themselves under special treat- 
ment. Treatment at home necessarily occupies more time but the 
result is uniformly certain. Usually it requires thirty days to reach 
the point at which the "drug" can be abandoned, and it takes about 
six weeks to fully complete the cure. On an average it takes about 
six bottles of the Gold Eemedy to cure each case under self-treatment. 



102 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

I make no distinction in patients as regards the manner or 
quantity of "drug " employed. My system is alike applicable to all. 
If the patient uses two grains, or twenty, forty, or sixty grains a day, 
it makes no difference. My plan is the same in all cases. Neither 
do I care whether the patient uses the Gum Opium, the Sulphate of 
Morphia by the mouth or by subcutaneous injection, or whether he 
smokes the Opium Pipe. Every possible kind or degree of Opium 
disease will yield to the powerful agency of the Double Chloride of 
Gold. 

It will be of interest to the reader to give a brief outline of a 
few cases which have been thus treated. They are taken from a 
large number, and are not selected. They are consequently typical 
of the general run of self-treatment cases. Names are not given, as 
I have no authority to use them in this way, the information here 
given being taken from their correspondence. As far as possible, I 
have used the patients' own language. 

CASE ONE. 

Mr. W., a lawyer, took Sulphate of Morphia by the mouth, eight 
grains a day, and used alcoholic liquors to excess. Commenced 
treatment at his home, July 6th, 1881. 

July 6th— Took the remedy every two hours. A hot bath in the 
morning. Worked in the garden during the day. Took four grains 
of morphia at 8 p. m. 

July 7th— Slept well all night before. Had no pains to speak 
of. Took remedy as on previous day ; went out walking and riding 
At 8 p. m., took four grains of morphia. 

July 8th— Slept well all night. Quite comfortable in the morn- 
ing. Cannot recognize any desire for liquor and very little for to- 
bacco. The whole craving I think is for morphia. I first took a 
dose of Eochelle Salts, as I did not have the pills, but as soon as I 
got them I took two, and two more last night, and this morning had 
the first operation in four days. Peel much better. At 8 p. m. I 
took four grains of morphia. 

July 9th— Took remedy as before ; a hot bath in the morning. 
Went out rowing in the afternoon. Bowels open. Took two grain s 
of morphia at 8 p. m. No liquor to-day and no desire for any. 

July 10th— Remedy as on previous days. Bowels regular. Ap- 
petite good. Eeduced the morphia to one grain at 8 p. m. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 103 

July 11th -— Had a good night. Continued taking remedy every 
two hours ; hot bath in the morning and one in the afternoon. 
Went out riding, and did some work in the garden. Bowels regular. 
No appetite for alcohol and but little for morphia. Took one-half 
grain of morphia at 8 p. m. 

July 12th, 7:30 a. m.— This is my seventh day. I have suc- 
ceeded in getting through the night on the one-half grain. At 3 p. 
m. I passed the crisis and slept w T ell till 6 o'clock. I then got up, 
took a dose of the remedy, a bath, and some exercise in the garden ; 
and I am just now going to breakfast, for which I have a hearty 
appetite. 

July 13th — Took my remedy every two hours all day. Mowed 
some grass for my horse, and took riding and walking exercise. A 
hot bath in the morning and one in the evening. Am hungry nearly 
all the time. Did not take any morphia today. 

July 14th, 7 a. m.— Slept badly last night. I have now gone 
sixty-one hours, and have successfully passed one paroxysm of crav- 
ing. I feel no craving now. Hallelujah! But perhaps I am not 
out of the woods. Took my usual bath to-day, a ad plenty of exer- 
cise. I drove into the country after celery plants, and spaded 
ground for them, and mowed. 

The patient did not take any more morphia at all, and gained 
in health every day. On September 4th he said, "I am steadily on 
the gain so far as health and strength are concerned ; am regular at 
eating, sleeping, etc., and have a good appetite and sleep like a baby 
I get up in the morning with a craving for breakfast that is simply 
ravenous. I can hardly wait till I am dressed. I think it is better 
thus than to force an appetite by taking down a half pint of 
whisky. I have no fear of ever taking morphia again." 

This was a case of Morphia and Alcoholism combined. The de- 
sire for Liquor was destroyed in two'days, and in six days he took his 
last dose of morphia. He only used two bottles of the Gold Eemedy 
while under treatment. 

CASE TWO. 

Mr. H., a merchant, was taking four grains of Morphia a day 
hypodermically. Commenced treatment on the 17th of June, 1882. 

June 17th — Eeduced daily allowance to two grains. Took rem- 
edy every two hours. Some out-door walking exercise, but mostly in 
the store. 



104 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

June 18th— Continued taking the remedy. Took a sponge hath 
at night. Took two grains of morphia at night. Did not have any 
pains all day. 

June 19th— Slept well last night. Have a good appetite. Rem- 
edy every two hours. Exercise chiefly in the store. Got a hot bath 
in the afternoon. Took one grain of morphia at night. 

June 20th— Felt so well I determined to make a break and quit. 
Took remedy every two hours ; went out riding twice and got a hot 
bath in the evening. Took one-half grain of morphia, and made 
up my mind to begin the extension process on that, and continue 
extending indefinitely. 

June 21st— Had a good night's rest Ate a hearty breakfast 
this morning. Followed up treatment all day. Am extending the 
interval, and, consequently, no morphia for me. 

June 22nd — Am all right this morning. No pain. I think I 
am through with morphia, and shall try and go through the day. 

June 23rd— Have not taken any morphia yet. I take the rem- 
edy every two hours, though, and follow directions as closely as 
possible. I believe I am cured. 

June 24th — I shall not need any more medicine nor any more 
morphia. I am getting better every day, and I never think of the 
accursed " drug " without a shudder. What an escape ! 

Subsequent letters informed me that he was completely cured, 
and was robust in health, and able to do more in a day than he could 
formerly in two. 

CASE THREE. 

Mr. D,, a manufacturer, had been using sulphate of morphia by 
the mouth ; twenty- five grains a day; was in bad health; suffered 
from a lame back; kidney troubles, bowels sore and tender ; also dia- 
betes. Commenced treatment March 2d, 1882. Patient reported 
irregularly. 

First report was on March 6th. I commenced taking your med- 
icine last Wednesday morning. I cut from twenty-five to ten grains 
next day, and have kept it up until this time. I have not felt any 
craving for the "drug," with one or two exceptions, then not bad, 
but felt all right. Slept pretty well, but not first rate, although I 
had no pain at night. I have had a bad cold on my lungs ever since 
I started in, which I suppose makes me much weaker. When I 
make my next cut, I think I can put it to one grain twice a day. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 105 

Will it do for me to cut so fast ? If so, after the one grain cut I 
shall cut the whole thing. I have not much appetite yet. 

Second report, March 14th.— I am doing pretty well, and am 
now taking about one grain twice a day, morning and night. Have 
been taking this quantity three or four days. Am rather weak, 
and do not get strength as fast as I would like. I was not well 
when I commenced taking the cure, having a very bad cough, and 
cold on my lungs. My back and spine are so lame yet that I cannot 
use a flesh brush at ail ; but I use a coarse towel as much as I can. 
My appetite is improving, and my bowels and kidneys are working 
better ; in all I feel quite encouraged. 

Third report, March 21st. — J am now taking the same as when 
I last wrote. Will be time to cut again on Wednesday. I got along 
very well with this little quantity, but I have been twice very near 
getting quit of it entirely. My back still hurts me some, but alto- 
gether my health is very much improved. 

Fourth report, March 25th. — Night before last I took one-half a 
grain on retiring, and then went twenty-four hours without any ; but 
was feeling badly last night, so took another dose — one-eighth of a 
grain. 

I do not expect to take any more of the drug if it can be helped. 
It is astonishing how little will quiet me now. Bowels and kidneys 
are improving. Yesterday morning the bowels moved of their 
own accord very nicely, which is quite an unusual occurrence with 
me. 

Fifth report, March 30th.— I have been three days without mor- 
phia and have no desire for it at all. My back and spine are still 
weak, but improving. My general health is good, and my appetite 
is first rate. 

Sixth report, April 7th. — I am doing nicely now ; took last mor- 
phia ten or twelve days ago, and am beginning to get stronger; 
sleep better and do not have any pain. My back is getting stronger 
all the time. 

Later correspondence informs me that he has continued to im- 
prove, and has never had any more desire for morphia. This was a 
remarkable case, from the fact that the patient was in such bad 
physical condition when he commenced treatment, and also because 
of the quantity used each day. He commenced treatment on March 
2d and stopped the use of morphia on the 27th. He took four bottles 
of the Double Chloride of Gold. 



106 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

CASE FOUR. 

E. W., fifty-one years old ; in average health ; using six grains 
sulphate morphia, hypodermically, daily. Commenced treatment 
on December 22d, 1885. Did not send regular reports. 

December 31st — Last night I reduced my daily portion of 
morphia to two grains, and suffered no inconvenience, much to my 
surprise. So far, I have had no trouble at all. I have not had any 
pain anywhere. One night I lost some sleep, and one day the 
medicine produced some nausea, which soon passed away, leaving 
me in good condition. I now take the medicine regularly. Find 1 
cannot take hot bath regularly, and may have to omit that sometimes. 

January 7th — I made another reduction last night, this time 
to one-half grain. I now take full doses of the medicine all the 
time, and I sleep better. My general health is good, and I am 
making splendid progress. 

January 12 — I have been forty-eight hours without taking any 
of the "drug," and I think I am all right now. I have had no 
inconvenience at all so far, and I have no further use for morphia. 
It seems wonderful how easy it has been for me to quit. 1 shall 
take the remedy every two hours, until I adjust the system perfectly 
to the absence of the "drug," after which I will take it, as you 
direct, in an easy, irregular and desultory way, till tided over the 
Nerve Exhaustion, which, as you say, is only convalescence. 

I have heard from this patient since, and learned that he never 
took any more morphia. He finished the remedy he had on hand, 
making four bottles in all, and has since been in excellent health. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

EXPERIENCES OF RECENT OPIUM USERS. 

This and the two following chapters of experiences have been 
written by former Morphia Users themselves, and.are full of interest. 
They have never been published before, and present truthful and 
accurate pictures of the Opium Habit, which should be carefully 



OK. THE FETTERS BROKEN. 107 

studied. Doubtless, thousands of victims could tell similar stories 
of misery and woe, and I have in my possession a large correspond- 
ence full of details of the same character. 

These cases were written for this work at my request, and are 
typical of the majority of the great army of victims of morphia. 

Dr. B , a regular physician, residing in Texas, wrote for a 

pamphlet on the Opium Habit. It was sent to him, and, having 
ordered my remedy, he wrote a series of letters describing his case, 
and giving his experiences in such interesting terms that I have 
decided to make the following excerpts from the correspondence. 
The state of despair and ruin produced by the Opium Habit have 
seldom been portrayed so vividly. 

January 19th. — "Unhappily a great many of the victims of 
Opium disease are reduced to poverty before they know where they 
stand, or begin to look for help ; and hundreds have been brought 
to poverty by frauds calling themselves "Doctors," and beguiling 
the poor wretches with solutions of morphia at fearful prices. One 
who thus styles himself, and who was, I think, the pioneer of these 
Morphia dealers, got three or four hundred dollars ( may be more ) 
out of a poor old man in this county, and then, of course, when the 
:\ioxey failed, left him, as to the habit, exactly where he found 
him ; and to this day the gentleman is consuming about four 
drachms of opium daily. He has sold property, piece by piece, to 
gratify the craving for opium, or pay for the "antidote," until 
now he is well nigh an object of charity. I myself have been be- 
guiled of a large amount for so-called "antidotes." It is the old 
story of the drowning wretch clutching at a straw. 

" I fear in my case, after so long a time, there must be structural 
disease in the brain, degeneration of tissue, etc., etc., which, even 
were the cause entirely removed, would still leave incurable 
damage. At my age ( sixty-three) the brain would naturally begin 
to weaken, and then such long abuse superadded, I don't see how it 
can recuperate. That I have been absolutely insane there is not a 
shadow of doubt, and at divers times, driven by sufferings, I have 
been on the very verge of suicide. Were I to continue writing both 
day and night for a week, I could not then fully relate the unutter- 
able torments I have gone through. Once I was a prosperous, re- 
spected man ; now I have lost property, health, character, money, 
everything. I expect to die a pauper and in debt, and leave to 
my family nothing but the heavy cloud that hangs over my head. 



108 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

"Once I looked upon opium as a magnum donum Dei for the 
alleviation of human suffering. Now I regard it as a deadly curse 
to the race, and believe it would be a blessing if the seed of the 
cursed poppy were destroyed utterly and lost from the face of the 
earth. The curse of Alcohol is mostly intermittent, allowing its 
victims some intervals of rationality, and, frequently, long intervals ; 
but that of Opium is perpetual; the victim never can stop, he 
must go on, or suffer the torments of the damned until death 
releases him. I would like to warn medical practitioners against 
that trouble-saving but insidious instrument, the hypodermic 
syringe. How many patients have learned the trick of that in- 
strument, and learned it to their own ruin ! How many poor 
women and helpless innocent children have been brought down to 
poverty and actual beggary by it ? The drinker of Alcohol does, 
sometimes, come to his senses, go to work at his calling, and make 
something, however little ; but the Opium user, hardly ever. 
He sinks deeper and deeper, faster and faster, until he becomes 
simply a breathing corpse, a burden to himself and a curse to all 
connected with him. Such, at least, is my experience. 

"Sometimes I am inclined to give up in despair. Financially 
and socially, I am utterly and totally ruined, and d — d for good 
and all beyond any hope of recuperation ; and but for the labor of 
my son on my poor little farm, would not have bread to eat. I am 
absolutely at the mercy of others. To a man of a once proud spirit 
this is intensely galling. All my former friends have dropped off, 
one by one, long ago. In such a case, what is life worth to any 
man ? And the longer it continues, the worse it becomes. If this 
is not hell upon earth, I cannot imagine what is ! 

"Away out here, remote from civilization, it is hard, indeed, to 
find any but the very commonest medical talent, and the most su- 
perficial advice. As to the treating of the opium disease, all the 
doctors in this part of the State are in obsolute darkness. They 
don't know one solitary feature of it, but are as ignorant of it as the 
horses they ride ! Graduating at local and inferior medical colleges, 
what can they know beyond the use of calomel, quinine and a few 
other drugs ?" 

January 26th.— "As soon as I can get the box from the express 
office (ninety miles) I shall commence taking your remedy as 
directed, though, I must add, with a faint heart. I do not, for a 
moment, doubt your skill, nor the utility of the remedy. But ? when 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 109 

cured, what shall I be fit for ? Old, broken down, sunk in poverty 
and debt to the very lips by the accursed "drug,"' what use can I be 
to anybody in any station? The past ten years are gone and 
wasted, and all my property, my faculties, mental and physical, 
everything of value in life has gone with them, and here I am, a 
miserable, helpless, useless wreck ! It is such reflections which 
excite suicidal tendencies. When a man who has been prosperous, 
respected and useful, rinds himself stranded on the shore of life, 
actually an object of aversion to all around him, what can he do? 
How can he bear the woful consciousness that his own folly has 
done all this ? Looking back over past years to days when he was 
honored and successful, and far above all fear of want, what wonder 
if the suffering is too much to bear, and he seeks the only exit from 
such a state of misery that is left him ? Despondent and wretched 
as I am, I will wait to see what your remedy can do for me, faithfully 
taken." 

February 3d. — "Medicine not yet received. When I get it I 
shall try to obey your directions, for God in Heaven knows that I 
am tired of my slavery, and bowed down to the very dust in humili- 
ation and shame, when I think of my wasted years and means, and 
my ruined family. Sometimes I almost become wild with excite- 
ment and remorse when all this rises before me. I have acquired 
a profound contempt for myself, and believe I do really despise 
myself more thoroughly ( if possible ) than anybody else does. Only 
to think of business, duty, labor, family, all lost sight of, neglected, 
let go to destruction for ten long years ! It is enough to make 
everybody hate me and despise me, as I am assured they do, and 
cause me to hate and despise myself. 

"I do not doubt your skill one minute, but I do consider myself 
too utterly crushed down, too completely degraded, ever to hold up 
my head among men again, or presume to do business with them. 
Everybody about here knows my history, how I have wasted my 
life and brought my family to ruin, and I could never go among 
them and hold up my head again. I feel as though I no longer have 
the right of equality with others that I once had. Sometimes I 
lose a whole night's sleep revolving these things in my mind. Often 
when I see persons approaching who were once my friends, I manage 
to get out of sight, to avoid recognition. I cannot forget what I 
have been, and the comparison with what I now am overwhelms 
me so that I would sink into the earth, if I could, to be out of 



110 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

people's sight. They regard me as sunk down beyond all hope or 
possibility of resurrection, and would count it a miracle to see me 
return to soundness, both mentally and physically. The people 
around me are full of their various business ; I alone am without 
occupation, avoiding the walks of business, my life a dead, stagnant 
waste. 

" Even in my own house and in my family I am simply a cipher. 
Nobody notices my movements, or would miss me if I died. It is 
simply a sort of living death. Once I was all action, life and energy ; 
now dull, apathetic, despondent; cut off from human sympathy 
and utterly isolated. Your letters have been like an electric shock, 
rousing me up to speak, and leading me to reveal what had been so 
long pent up in my own breast. 

" One in my condition gets little sympathy. Men say 'he ought 
to stop,' etc., as though he could stop at his own volition, and 
regard him more as an offender against society than as a helpless 
victim, bound hand and foot with bands of iron. I have borne the 
most unfair comments and insinuations from people utterly inca- 
pable of comprehending for one second the smallest part of my suf- 
fering, or even knowing that such could exist. Yet they claim to 
deliver opinions and comments as though better informed on the 
subject of opium using than anybody else in the- world. I have been 
stung by their talk as by hornets, and have been driven to solitude 
to avoid the fools. 

"I am glad that you are establishing a Sanitarium at Dwight 
for the victims of Opium and Alcohol. It is not creditable to the 
profession that the true Remedy for these diseases was not sooner 
discovered ; but the search involved trouble, midnight study, micro- 
scopic investigation, etc., and therefore it has been neglected." 

February 7th. — " Have just received the medicine. My mental 
condition just now is miserable beyond description. The spectacle 
of an innocent family brought down from comfort and respecta- 
bility to pinching poverty by my own vice and folly and weakness, 
is ever before me. I feel that my family would have done better if 
I had died ten or twelve years ago. This despondent feeling seems 
to increase, and God knows there is cause enough for it. All the 
evil I have wrought, all the ruin I have caused these ten years, rises 
up against me. I have but small hope of cure, I tell you this can- 
didly. The clouds seem to gather around me, darker, blacker every 
day. Some days the suicidal impulse comes on me so strongly that 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. Ill 

I can barely resist it. A fear of making matters in some way worse 
for my family has restrained me so far. Oftentimes I envy the very 
criminals in the penitentiary, who enjoy physical and mental health, 
and are not tortured by remorse of conscience. Had I ruined only 
myself I could endure it better, but I have dragged my wife and 
children down with me ; there lies the sting of it ! " 

February 10th.—" I began taking the remedy on the 7th inst., 
and at once cut down my doses of opium one-third. Physically, I 
do believe, the medicine has already helped me, and that in a week 
or two I can wholly abandon the "drug," but mentally my condi- 
tion is superlatively miserable. I fear there is an inherited ten- 
dency to insanity in my blood, which will make my complete cure 
impossible. The spectacle of a wife, son and daughter, all strug- 
gling with hard, grinding poverty, after once living in affluence, 
tears my very heart strings when I remember that it is all caused 
by my fault, my folly and my sin. Every friend and neighbor I once 
had was alienated long ago. Even my own family are necessarily 
estranged from me. They tolerate my presence because they must, 
but I can see that all feeling of respect is worn out long ago, and I 
cannot blame them. I have neglected my duty to God, to society, 
and to my family. I have squandered thousands that should have 
been saved for them ; and all through that vile, cursed "drug !" 
No wonder people shun me and look on me with aversion. I have 
given them abundant cause to do so. 

" I was not raised to work ; would to God I had been ! for then I 
might, when cured, do something for my own support. I was, un 
happily for me, ' a gentleman's son,' raised up in that grade until 
eighteen years old, and then by hard fate was thrown upon the world 
'my own master.' With a highly sensitive brain and a nervous sys- 
tem, and a feeble, delicate, almost feminine frame, I was the victim 
of all sorts of torments which more robust men would have laughed 
at. I never had self-assertion, or what is now called ' cheek,' 
and I think it was the lack of self-confidence which first drove me 
to opium." 

February 14th.—" Am deriving benefit from the remedy ; doing 
well physically. Mental torment, that of which I have before writ- 
ten at such length, is the great trouble. My wife is one of the best 
of women, but I, miserable wretch that I am, have ruined her life, 
broken her heart, and brought her down to miserable want. That 
she still lives is a wonder, after all I have caused her to suffer. Had 



112 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

the first dose of morphine killed me, it would have been a God's 
blessing to her and her children. I could not write down in a week 
all the misery, shame, suffering, degradation, that opium has brought 
on me and my innocent family. As to society, I am totally isolated 
— like a diseased limb which has been severed from the body. No 
doubt I talk and write incoherently. My mind is in such a state 
that I cannot help it." 

February 18th. — "Since my last, I have cut my diurnal dose of 
poison down to one minute piece per diem, and now undertake to 
' fight it out on that line ' until I either conquer or die. God knows 
it would be a supreme happiness to me if, by the publication of my 
experience, I could save even one unfortunate from the deadly pit 
into which I fell. I owe that much to suffering humanity, and I 
also owe it to you, to let other victims know where to look to seek 
deliverance. * * * Had I followed some other walk in life 
than the practice of medicine, I might never have handled opium. 
Seeing the quick relief it gave to patients first led me to tamper 
with it myself. I have known many doctors to fall just in that way. 
It would be a grand thing to teach men, and women too, to ap- 
proach the insidious 'drug' with as much caution as they would 
the rattlesnake in his deadly coil, and never to put themselves in 
its power except under direct compulsion, backed up by professional 
advice. Why do not the temperance lecturers, now so numerous 
and 'eloquent,' pass now and then from their vivid pictures of the 
horrors of Alcohol, to speak of the more deadly, because more 
secret, monsters, Opium and Chloral ? Whiskey permits its victims 
to stop now and then, and rest and recuperate nerves and brain, and 
to work ; but Opium never. Day by day, night by night, the 
deadly work goes on, until mental darkness or merciful death closes 
the scene forever. No land, no region is exempt from the opium 
curse, and its victims are chiefly of a kind that society does not wil- 
lingly consent to give up to death." 

February 28th. — "The medicine has killed the craving for opium, 
and I have put that away ' in toto.' Unhappily the opium trouble 
is not my only one, some other affairs worry me by day and break my 
rest at night." 

March 3d. — "As soon as I get over my nervousness, and am able 
to sit at my desk and compose, which I do rapidly in my normal 
condition, and to handle a pen with ease, I will furnish you with a 
staemetnt which will compel the respectful attention of 'profes- 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 113 

sionals,' and light up once more the flame of hope in the bosoms of 
unfortunates who may be crying aloud, as I was, ' Who will deliver 
us from this body of death ? ' After having been dragged up from 
the very gates of Hell itself ; after having had the pistol loaded to 
blow my own brains out, and been led to forego my rash purpose by 
your promise of deliverance, and after rinding the promise fulfilled 
ad liter am, I claim a right to testify on the subject, and would be 
a miserable, ungrateful wretch should I fail in that duty, for it is a 
duty and shall be performed." 

March 10th. — " I do not know but that, with just one exception, 
I was the most pitiful, miserable, abject slave of the accursed ' drug' 
that could be found upon the soil of this broad State. Your remedy 
set me free. Not a doubt of that, and, as in duty bound, I pro- 
pose to praise the bridge that carried me over. One could not well 
do less. 

'• Why is it that practitioners, as a rule, have never made a study 
of the opium disease ? It is a disease, as much so as gastritis, per- 
nicious fever, or any other ailment they are called upon to treat. 
Yet you hardly ever meet one who knows, practically, anything 
about it. Ask anyone of them how to deal with it, and he will tell 
you, 'Oh ! that is very easy ; you must reduce your dose so much 
every day, until you finally get it down to nothing, and then quit it.' 
Just as though any opium user that ever lived would, of his own 
volition, cut off the quantum of the one sole thing that enables him 
to stand upright, to walk, talk, eat, read, etc.; in a word, the agent 
which keeps the breath of life in him, and without which he would 
probably die in horrible torment. Why, they might as well tell the 
north wind to stop blowing as to tell an opium user to stop short of 
a given degree of stimulation, unless they give him something that 
will tranquilize the nervous system, or overcome, in some manner, 
that wretched, miserable craving during the absence of the habitual 
stimulus ! That is precisely what your remedy does. It keeps life 
in the patient while undergoing the reduction of his dose." 

From this time forward the letters are wholly free from those 
dark colors and tones of despair which were before so prominent. 
They grow bright and cheerful, discuss current topics and relate 
personal experiences, and plainly exhibit the infinite difference be- 
tween the thoughts and feelings of a ruined slave to opium, and one 
lifted from the abyss and set at liberty. 



114 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM | 



CHAPTER XIX. 

THE MORPHINE-LIFE OF A LAWYER LIYING IN NORTHERN 
ILLINOIS. 

While in my sophomore year in college I read DeQuincey's Con- 
fessions of an English Opium Eater, and also his later utterance, 
Suspiria de Profundus. The first essay kindled within me a desire 
to experience for myself the grand dreams to which the "drug" 
gave hirth in him. The latter did not warn me. I had not the 
remotest intention of becoming an opium user, nor could a special 
divine revelation have then made me believe that my sighs would 
ever ascend from the midnight depths. I procured one or two 
grains of crude opium, and took it " just for fun," as I should have 
then said. 

The effects were delightful indeed ! I had plucked the fruit of 
a forbidden tree, but it was very sweet to the taste, and seemed to 
open my eyes. I did not know that with the first taste there was 
thrown lightly around me a coil of the serpent whose folds were at 
last to envelop with rings of terrible strength. From time to time 
I repeated the experiment, but at considerable intervals. It seemed 
to me that I had found a new source of mental inspiration, and that 
I need no longer be dependent on whatever fickle god or goddess 
it may be which presides over the mind and directs its varying 
conditions. 

Simply by swallowing a lump of opium, or a minute powder of 
morphia, which I soon came to use generally, instead of gum, I 
was ( or rather belieyed that I was N - lifted up into high regions of 
intellectuality and had vivid imaginings. I therefore gradually 
came to use morphia when pressed by literary work. In time, I had 
frequently to address public meetings extemporaneously, and I 
found that a small dose of the "drug" took away the nervous em- 
barrassment, and enabled me to face an audience without physical 
or mental tremor. I did not perceive, till afterward, that the influ- 
ence which prevented preliminary trepidation, also prevented that 
natural, healthy and fruitful excitement which enables a speaker to 
" think on his legs," take advantage of the varying moods of his lis- 
teners, and to throw into his speech all the weight of his individu- 



OR* THE FETTERS BROKEN. 115 

ality and character. A speaker whose oratory is inspired by morphia 
may indulge in what are called '''flights of eloquence," and thus 
astonish " the ears of the groundlings ; " hut if not 

"Full of sound and fury 
Signifying no tiling," 

it will be more ornamental than useful ; it will exhibit more display 
than power and effect. 

It was ten or twelve years before I began to be alarmed on the 
subject of my morphia using. Even at this time I only used it two 
01 three times each week. Its effects still lasted for a considerable 
time. The first and second days after taking, say a drachm of 
laudanum, or its equivalent of morphia, I would feel no desire to 
repeat the dose. I was usually quite drowsy during the day after 
taking it, but the next day would, as I thought, feel naturally, and 
it was only on the succeeding day that I would begin to feel as 
though another dose of the opiate would be agreeable. I was de- 
ceived by the intervals, not then knowing that the poison extended 
its influence through those days of apparent freedom. I imagined 
that I could entirely cease the use of the "drug" if I pleased, be- 
cause I did not feel obliged to take it every day. 

At last, howevei, having become uneasv on the subject, I made 
such arrangements that 1 could devote myself almost entirely to 
physical labor for awhile, and resolved to use the time to abandon 
the habit. For two months I did not take opium in any form, and 
the amount previously taken at a dose not having exceeded, and 
being usually less, than two grains of morphia, I could go to bed 
tired out with physical exertion, and each night I suffered no notice- 
able inconvenience. 

But as soon as I began to have leisure I found that I was not 
cured. The craving for the opiate again manifested itself. It was 
not a painful demand, an outcry of nerves and muscles and the 
whole body for the poison, but simply a hunger for the mental stim- 
ulating effects of the "drug." It did not make morphia seem an 
enemy whose fierceness must be placated, but a friend whose modest 
request there was no sufficient reason to refuse. It is in this way 
that the victim of the opium habit becomes a helpless captive be- 
fore he is aware. The evil spirit of the "drug "hides its strength 
and touches the doomed one gently until it has made its grasp sure ; 



116 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

then claws protrude from the soft hand and clutch the captive with 
a grip which he can have little hope of breaking. I resumed the use 
of morphia, taking it at first at the former intervals, but soon came 
to use it every day. 

It is because of my experience that I distrust all alleged " cures" 
which are said to be brought about either by gradually reducing the 
amount of the dose, or by stopping its use at once. There could not 
be a more favorable case than mine. I was as strong and in as 
good health as was possible for a man of good constitution to be 
under the circumstances. I ceased to use the "drug" for two 
months and did not suffer the least inconvenience from so doing ; 
but at the end of that time my craving to experience the opium 
intoxication was just as strong and just as irresistible as at the 
commencement of the period of abstinence. 

From the time I began to take daily doses of the "drug" my 
bondage was confirmed. This was over ten years ago. The quan- 
tity taken was gradually increased until, for the last four or five 
years of my " bondage in Egypt," I took each twenty-four hours, 
and usually in a single dose, from fifteen to twenty-five grains of the 
sulphate of morphia. I did not usually measure very accurately, 
but during the last year or more one drachm bottle of morphia 
lasted me not over three days, and often less. 

By the time I had reached five grains I was forced to admit to 
myself that I had become an opium user. The fact is, doubtless, 
that notwithstanding the intervals between indulgence during the 
first ten or twelve years, when I seemed to myself to be only toying 
with the monster, and could escape from him when I would, I was, 
in fact, a slave almost from the first dose. The tiger was toying 
with me, allowing me short runs of seeming escape, before it 
should make me feel the piercing of its fearful fangs. 

During three or four years after I had confessed to myself that 
I had joined the sad ranks of the vast army of opium users, I made 
several efforts to find some way of escape. I took several bottles of 
a so-called " painless cure" or "antidote." This was a reddish mix- 
ture, tasting like glycerine, with a tinge of bitter. For a while it 
took the place of morphine, but any need for extra exertion in my 
business, or any special vexation, or increased responsibility, sent 
me to the morphia bottle again. Whenever I ceased to use the nos- 
trum after taking it for a few weeks, I found increased doses of 
morphia necessary to sustain me, 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 117 

A year or two later I learned that a firm of manufacturing 
chemists in Chicago were preparing a compound elixir of nux vomica, 
which they recommended as a remedy for the opium habit. The 
patient was directed to dissolve a quantity of morphia in the prepa- 
ration, equivalent to about three-fourths of the usual daily ration 
of the "drug" in each four doses of the liquid, and take four doses 
of the mixture each day. While taking this preparation I could 
reduce the quantity of the opiate to some extent without much diffi- 
culty, but all effort to get below from six to eight grains in twenty- 
four hours was useless. There is this to be said in favor of those 
who manufacture this elixir, one knows what the agent relied on is, 
viz: nux vomica, and knows that he is taking morphia, and not 
some pretended " antidote " whose principal efficacy is to disguise 
the morphia which it contains in large quantities. I became abso- 
lutely satisfied that the "painless cure" nostrum which I had been 
taking, had for its active agent — if it had any active agent — some 
preparation of nux vomica or else quinine, which disguised the 
effects of morphine sufficiently to deceive the patient and cause him 
to believe that he was not taking any form of opium, and to con- 
tinue to order fresh bottles of the nostrum. My own experience 
convinces me that these so-called remedies are worse than worthless 
for the cure of the opium habit. Like the "painless cure," the 
compound elixir seemed to create an increased appetite for morphia, 
so that my last state was worse than my first. 

The trial which I made of the compound elixir of nux vomica 
was quite thorough, and when the inevitable failure came I was 
much discouraged- During the years of my subjection to its power, 
the "drug" had been accomplishing in me its evil work. AH pres- 
ent exhilaration from its use had long since ceased. The drowsiness 
which, at first, did not make its appearance until eight or ten hours 
after taking the daily dose, now came on in half an hour, and for 
from one to three hours 1 would sit dozing, half asleep, thinking or 
dreaming of nothing definite or of any importance. Exertion be- 
came more and more distasteful, Business was postponed, and 
responsibility avoided. Ambition and the desire to accumulate were 
paralyzed. I shrunk from attempting any new enterprise, and 
seemed unable to bestow upon anything continuous thought. Under 
the pressure of excitement I could think and work with ordinary 
ability, but during the periods between I lived a torpid existence 
I continued to read considerably — using one eye for hours, when 



118 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ', 

morphia had rendered me diploptic; hut what I read was not assim- 
ilated as formerly, and I did not increase in knowledge in proportion 
to my reading. At length I came to shrink from taking up any 
hook except some work of fiction. I seem to have heen an instance 
of arrested development. The promise and the hopes of my earlier 
years were unfulfilled. I was gradually heing crowded to the out- 
side of the compact mass of those who are in the centre of activity, 
and who are pressing forward with all their energies to win the 
prizes of life. 

Society hecame distasteful to me, and I avoided meeting even 
my most familiar friends. One principal reason for this was that I 
was perpetually conscious of my slavery. I did not show marked 
outward signs of the habit which was destroying myiif^; but the 
fact of its existence left my consciousness for hardly a moment. I 
could not respect myself. Much less could I assert myself, for I 
knew that, at any moment, my shameful secret might be discovered 
or revealed. This perpetual feeling of shame, causing loss of self- 
respect, is an effect of the opium habit which, so far as my own case 
is concerned, was worse than any physical one. I never laid down 
at night, for at least ten years, that my morphine trouble did not at 
once come into my thoughts, as though it had been a tormenting 
imp more malicious than Poe's raven, perched ever in waiting upon 
the bed's head. Kegrets for the past, resolutions of resistance and 
escape for the future, repeated themselves over and over again in my 
mind, and beneath all was the ever present consciousness of secret 
weakness and concealed disgrace. 

About a year ago I found myself wondering if the best way out 
of it might not be to take some short route to the long sleep. Al- 
though I did not seriously debate the question with myself, I could 
perceive that my mind was growing morbid, and I could not but 
know that even the faint signs indicated pointed to the possibility 
of a sudden and desperate end. All the other phenomena which I 
have mentioned were now much more violent than ever before. I 
felt that a crisis of some kind could not be long delayed, and I had 
little reason to hope for anything good. It was about this time that 
my attention was called to the Double Chloride of Gold as prepared 
by Dr. Leslie E. Keeley for the cure of the Opium Habit. A year 
before, on learning that he was successfully using this agent as a 
remedy for Drunkenness, I had written him, inquiring if it would 
not cure the Opium Disease also. He replied very briefly that he 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 119 

had not yet perfected an Opium Cure, and preferred not to make 
any promises or even representations on the subject, 

Some months afterward I learned that he was using a prepara- 
tion of the Double Chloride of Gold in the treatment of the opium 
habit, and with entire success. From his previous letters to me I 
was disposed to think that any representations he might make on 
the subject would be less rather than more than the truth ; but, to 
entirely satisfy myself, I paid him a visit. I found everything to 
be as true and genuine as the gold out of which his chemist was 
preparing the Chloride of Gold and Sodium. Soon afterward I be- 
gan taking the remedy, and, although I was for some time engaged 
in duties which involved a ( to me ) heavy responsibility, I was able 
in a comparatively short time, and without the slightest inconven- 
ience, to reduce from twenty to two grains each twenty-four hours. 
Long before this point was reached I had come to kxow that I was 
being cured. My will responded to the influence of the remedy, 
even as the dead body of Lazarus did to the word of Jesus, and 
arose and increased in strength. The cloud began to lift from my 
mind ; the dull opium-glaze commenced to clear from my eyes ; life 
began to have some brightness of hope in it ; and my dormant ener- 
gies stirred in their awakening. 

Then, in order to mingle treatment with holiday, I went to Dr. 
Keeley, at Dwight, Illinois, and in ten days I was free. Three or 
four wakeful nights ; a few aches and pains in my feet and ankles ; 
two or three days of lassitude at the end of ten days — this was all 
I had to pay, in the way of suffering, for my cure ! " Marvelous ! '> 
"Miraculous !"— how often I repeated those words during that 
ten days ! It seemed impossible that any remedy, no matter if it 
had a golden instead of a "gilded hand," should thus "shove by 
justice " and permit the opium victim to so easily escape the 
penalty of his indulgence. But whether the fact can be har- 
monized with the "laws of nature" or not, it remains a fact that I 
was cured, and at a cost of suffering so absolutely insignificant that 
it now seems to me that I had none ! 

And how shall I portray the condition of super-abounding 
health which I have been in ever since? Even when a healthy, 
happy boy, I was not so perfectly free from physical discomfort of 
every kind as I have been for months. Exertion, both mental and 
physical, is pleasant to me, and I can endure three times as much of 
the former as in my best days previously. 1 ceased taking the opium 



120 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

remedy in a week or two, then took his preparation of Neurotine for 
two or three weeks, but only semi-occasionally for the last one ; but 
I have long since ceased to take or think of either, or of any medi- 
cine whatever. And oniy those who have had the same deliverance 
from opium slaverv can know how absolutely all desire for morphia, 
or for any narcotic or stimulant, is removed. I had chewed an ounce 
or more of tobacco every day for years, and had long abandoned 
all hope of ever ceasing its use ; but it became distasteful to me 
during treatment, and I at once stopped using it without even a 
trace of discomfort. 

As to the comfort and pleasantness of Dr. Keeley's Sanitarium 
system of treatment for the opium patient, his own unfailing pa- 
tience and cheerfulness, and the courtesy and kindness of his asso- 
ciates, perhaps 1 had better let others speak, lest my words should 
be too highly seasoned with praise. 

TVhile 1 cannot cease to regret the almost total loss of at least 
ten years of my life, still, at forty, I hope and believe that the 
future holds for me some prizes which I can win. I am no longer an 
alien among my fellow men. I have crossed the "Slough of 
Despond :" the burden has fallen from my shoulders, and I face the 
coming days with hope and faith. 



CHAPTER XX. 

EXPERIENCES OF DR. J. M. R., OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. 

It was in the year 1867 that I began the use of morphia contin- 
uously. I had suffered from chronic diarrhoea ever since the close of 
the war, in which I was a surgeon, and I at last resorted to frequent 
doses of morphia as the only certain means of controlling the diffi- 
culty. I at first took about a half grain every two or three days ; 
but at the end of a year was taking from two to five grains each 
twenty-four hours. About this time I became alarmed, and under- 
took to abandon the use of the " drug." My practice was to take 
my dose in the morning of each day, the effect lasting for twenty- 
four hours. I found that I could get through the day succeeding 
the morning on which my usual dose was omitted with comparative 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 121 

comfort, and could sleep during the first night, hut after that I had 
neither sleep nor rest. My uneasiness and the aches, and pains in 
every part of my hody, were unbearable. Sometimes ( for I made 
several attempts ) I would hold up for four or five days, but at the 
end of that time the limit of my endurance was reached, and I had 
to go back into my captivity. I was a confirmed morphia user — 
that fact could not be disguised. The only way to avoid insanity, 
or death from mere intensity of pain, seemed to be to follow the 
path on which I had entered without ever again attempting to leave 
it. From this time the daily quantity of morphia taken steadily 
increased, until in 1876 I was using from thirty to thirty-five grains 
each twenty-four hours. 

About this time I saw the advertisement of a man in Indiana, 
who claimed to have discovered an "antidote " or " painless cure"' 
for the opium habit. I wrote him at once, telling him that if his 
cure was genuine I needed and wanted it. He replied that he had a 
remedy which had never failed in a single instance to effect a cure. 
I sent for a month's supply, paying him eighteen dollars. The mor- 
phia which this medicine contained in such large quantities was so 
disguised by quinine that I did not recognize its effects for a consid- 
erable length of time, and I honestly thought I had found deliver- 
ance from my chains. I even wrote him that I thought it would 
cure me. I kept on with it until I had taken ten or twelve bottles, 
costing me altogether about two hundred dollars. By the time I 
had used half this quantity, I became almost certain that morphia 
was the main ingredient in the preparation ; but my friends were 
more confiding, and, urged by them, and still having a very small 
remnant of hope that the "antidote " might be genuine, I kept on, 
as before stated. It is hardly necessary to add that I was not as 
near being cured when I abandoned the preparation as I was when 
I began its use. 

A while after this, I saw the advertisement of a woman of the 
same place, and, clutching at every straw, I concluded to try her 
alleged "cure," especially as her terms seemed more reasonable. I 
took three bottles of her "remedy," paying twelve dollars for each 
one, the quantity lasting three months. I found the preparation to 
be precisely like a large quantity of morphia and considerable qui- 
nine dissolved in glycerine, the mass being colored red with aniline. 

I next tried a preparation advertised by one Dr. J. C. H., of Chi- 
cago, as a sure " cure " for the habit. He wrote me that his regular 



122 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

price for treating my case for three months ( at the end of which 
time I should be positively cured ) would be one hundred dollars, 
but he would charge me but fifteen, as I was a regular physician in 
good standing. I was in such a constant opium stupor, and my 
judgment and common sense were so obscured, that such evident 
proof of charlatanism as this offer exhibited did not warn me. He 
sent me printed "testimonials," as the others had done, and I was 
foolish enough to believe them simply because they were in print. 
I ordered a " three month's " supply of his preparation — all that he 
said would be required — and received twenty-five bottles containing 
about six ounces each. If I should need more, he wrote me that he 
would charge nothing for the additional amount. 

I followed his "directions" implicitly, taking twenty bottles. 
The other five fermented and became sour. While taking this rem- 
edy I felt precisely as I had, at times previously, when trying to 
get along with reduced doses of morphia. My sleep at best was in- 
sufficient, and often I could not sleep at all ; and, besides, I suffered 
from a feeling of great fullness or swelling of the head, with giddi- 
ness, and with pains all through my body. Half an hour after 
taking a dose of the preparation, my mouth would be so " cottony" 
and my throat so dry that I could not swallow, nor hardly speak. 
This and certain other intensely disagreeable and repulsive sensa- 
tions which I felt, were caused, as I now know, by that disgusting 
and most powerful poison, atropia. 

At the end of the twenty bottles my general health was worse 
than when T began them, and my craving for morphia sprang up, at 
once, in all its strength. I wrote H. all the facts, and he replied, in 
substance, that he had made a slight mistake, and that for ten dol- 
lars more he would send an additional quantity of his preparation ; 
enough to cure me. But at last it did not require this attempt to 
violate an agreement and extort money to open my eyes. I had 
learned from my own case and others that his medicine had no cura- 
tive power, and after informing him in very plain terms of the light 
in which 1 considered him, I permitted the matter to drop. 

During the years in which these things were occurring, my con- 
dition was growing worse in every respect. Each so-called remedy 
increased instead of diminishing my need of morphia, and I was 
taking from twenty-five to forty grains per day. I grew wholly un- 
fitted for business, and allowed much of my practice to slip out of 
my hands, merely because I was too sluggish and too procrastinating 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 123 

to attend to calls. All that I earned for ten years went for morphia, 
or for those wholly useless " cures." Poverty stared me in the face, 
and the worst of it was that I could not get rid of the feeling that 
I was to blame for this condition of affairs. My life was a failure, 
and the gloom and despair I felt were constant and unrelieved. 
Twice during the last five years I have been on the point of suicide. 
The first time the revolver was taken from me, and the last time 
some one came up as I was about to shoot myself, and my thoughts 
were diverted. The infirmity of will induced by opium is, I think, 
all that kept me from ending the miserable story of my life with a 
bullet. I felt that to die and go to hell would involve less torment 
than that I was suffering every day. I was emaciated, pallid, weak 
in body and my strength of will and energy of mind were all gone. 
I felt that I was a curse to myself and to all around me. 

A few years ago, a small pamphlet by Leslie E. Keeley, M. D., 
on the pathology of the opium habit, and the treatment of the dis- 
ease with the Chloride of Gold and Sodium, came to the postoffice 
in our village with the request that it should be handed to some 
physician. I happened to be in the office when it arrived, and it 
was given to me. My first thought was, of course, that still another 
man was trying to levy tribute from morphia users by holding out 
false hopes to them. I had expended in various ways, for " cures," 
etc., between two and three thousand dollars, and was worse instead 
of better. But the next day I read the little book over carefully, 
and decided that its author had at least an actual knowledge of 
what he was writing about. I opened correspondence with him, 
asking him to tell me positively whether his remedy would help my 
case. He replied that he had cured every case up to that time, and 
sent me a number of names of opium patients whom he had treated, 
with their addresses, and asked me to write to some or all of them. 
The result was that I ordered one pair of the Double Chloride of 
Gold remedy. I had not taken it for three days before I became sat- 
isfied of two things : that it contained no opium or other nar- 
cotic, and that it was a genuine and extremely powerful nerve tonic. 
I was soon able to reduce my daily dose of morphia from thirty-five 
or forty grains per day to two. I could not be deceived about this, 
for the two grains were carefully weighed. Owing to special cir- 
cumstances I decided that it would be best for me to go to Dwight 
to be specially treated by Dr. Keeley. Some two months elapsed 
after I had taken the first pair of the Gold Remedy before I could 



124 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

start for Dwight, and 1 was detained on the way for a month by 
sickness. I had an attack of bloody flux, followed by erysipelas in 
the face and head ; and I also had a short run of bilious fever. 
When I reached Dwight, I looked as though I had not a week to 
live. I have since learned that some of Dr. Keeley's friends told 
him that he had better send me home by the first train ; that I could 
not be cured, and to attempt to cure me and fail would bring dis- 
credit upon his remedy, especially as I was a physician considerably 
known in Southern Illinois. 

But I am cured ! From the first day my progress toward recov- 
ery was as steady and as sure as the passage of time itself. From 
the time I began taking the remedy I never doubted for an instant 
that it would cure me. While my reduced physical condition made 
my case more stubborn than most, I went steadily along, reducing 
the doses of morphia from one down to one-fourth of a grain, and 
extending the intervals between doses from twenty-four to seventy- 
two hours, until at last I had taken my last one-fourth grain of the 
"drug," and was free ! I experienced some uneasiness and wakeful- 
ness because the Doctor felt obliged to hasten my case as fast as 
possible ; but all the unpleasant sensations I experienced under his 
treatment, if condensed and multiplied, would not begin to equal 
what I suffered in an hour or two when I tried ( when taking from 
three to five grains ) to cure myself. The ordinary ailments of life 
produce as much or more uneasiness and suffering than I felt. Now 
I have entered into a new life. I have no more appetite for morphia 
than I have for kerosene, or any other impossible dose. My appetite 
is more than good ; my eyes are clear ; my weight increased, while 
under treatment, twenty-six pounds in twenty-eight days. There is 
energy in my body, strength in my mind, and hope in my heart. 
Once more I am a man among my fellow men, and can do my work 
and reap whatever rewards may await sincere and energetic efforts. 

Since the above was written, I have received from Dr. Keeley 
his record of the treatment of my case, with a request for permis- 
sion to use it in a work on morphia using which he is preparing. I 
hereby endorse his report as accurate, and gladly consent to his 
making use of it in any manner he may wish. 



OK, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 125 



CHAPTER XXI. 

OPIUM AND ALCOHOL — THEIR SIMILAR AND DIFFERENT 
PROPERTIES AND EFFECTS. 

If a man receives from some boon companion an invitation to 
meet him and others at a "wine supper," he does not consider it 
strange or incongruous that a few mutual acquaintances should 
gather for social enjoyment, and drink wine in company. But if 
one, addicted to the use of Morphia should receive a tasteful card 
inviting him to meet three or four fellow Opium Users at a " Mor- 
phine Feast," he would he at once struck with the perfect absurdity 
of the matter. We hear of the "social glass" probably more than 
enough, but who ever heard of the "social Morphia bottle," or the 
"festive Opium box." 

The contrast between Opium and Alcohol, as regards their 
effects upon those who use them, is thus clearly indicated. 
DeQuincey has dwelt upon these differences, in terms which, 
though not scientifically accurate, nor even mainly true, except, 
possibly, as describing the earliest experiences of a very small per- 
centage of opium users, are full of interest. 

"First, then," he says, "it is not so much affirmed as taken for 
granted by all who ever mention opium formally or incidentally, 
that it does or can produce intoxication. But crude Opium, I affirm 
peremptorily, is incapable of producing any state of body at all 
resembling that which is produced by Alcohol ; and not in degree 
only incapable, but even in kind ; it is not in the quantity of its 
effects merely, but in the quality, that it differs altogether. The 
pleasure given by Wine is always mounting and tending to a crisis, 
after which it declines ; that from Opium, when once generated, is 
stationary for eight or ten hours ; the first, to borrow a technical 
distinction from medicine, is a case of acute, the second, of chronic 
pleasure ; the one is a flame, the other a steady, equable glow. But 
the main distinction lies in this, that whereas Wine disorders the 
mental faculties, Opium, on the contrary ( if taken in a proper man- 
ner ), introduces among them the most exquisite order, legislation and 
harmony. Wine robs a man of his self-possession : Opium greatly 
invigorates it. Wine unsettles and clouds the judgment, and gives 



126 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

a preternatural brightness and a vivid exaltation to the contempts 
and the admirations, to the loves and the hatreds, of the drinker ; 
Opium on the contrary, communicates serenity and equipoise to all 
the faculties, active or passive ; and with respect to the temper and 
moral feelings in general, it gives simply that sort of vital warmth 
which is approved by the judgment, and which would always accom- 
pany a bodily constitution of primeval or antediluvian health. 
Thus, for instance, Opium, like Wine, gives an expansion to the 
heart and the benevolent affections ; but then with this remarkable 
difference, that in the development of kind-heartedness w r hich ac- 
companies inebriation, there is always more or less of a maudlin 
character which exposes it to the bystander. Men shake hands, 
swear eternal friendship, and shed tears — no mortal knows why — 
and the sensual creature is clearly uppermost. But the expansion of 
the benigner feelings, incident to Opium, is no febrile access, but a 
healthy restoration to that state which the mind would naturally 
recover upon the removal of any deep-seated irritation of pain that 
had disturbed and quarreled with the impulses of a heart originally 
just and good. 

" Wine constantly leads a man to the brink of absurdity and 
extravagance, and beyond a certain point it is sure to volatilize and 
to disperse the intellectual energies ; whereas Opium always seems 
to compose what had been agitated, and to concentrate what had 
been distracted. In short, to sum up all in one word, a man who is 
inebriated, or tending to inebriation, is, and feels that he is, in a 
condition which calls up into supremacy the merely human, too 
often brutal, part of his nature ; but the opium user ( I speak of 
him who is not suffering from any disease or other remote effects of 
opium ) feels that the diviner part of his nature is paramount ; that 
is, the moral affections are in a state of cloudless serenity ; and over 
all is the great light of the majestic intellect." 

These words are full of the charm, the falsity and the danger 
which characterize DeQuincey's writings upon the Opium Habit. 
In order to excuse his own persistent use of the "drug," he greatly 
exaggerated its more favorable influences ; he allowed his literary 
ambition, and his wonderful facility of expression, to overcome his 
honesty. He believed that his " Confessions " would attract the 
eyes of the whole reading public to himself, and he posed before 
them in artificial attitudes, as the original and only genuine Opium . 
User. Following the extract above quoted are these words of 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 127 

astounding self-conceit: "This is the doctrine of the Church on 
the subject of Opium : of which Church I acknowledge myself to 
he the only member — the alpha and omega; but then it is to be 
recollected that I speak from the ground of a large and profound 
personal experience, whereas most of the unscientific authors who 
have at all treated of Opium, and even of those who have written 
expressly on the materia medica, make it evident, from the horror 
they express of it, that their experimental knowledge of its action is 
none at all." 

Writing in such a spirit, and feeling that he must so represent 
the effects of Opium as to prevent the condemnation and disgust of 
his readers against himself, one can understand how the influence of 
his words has been to entice his readers into the poppy-hedged path 
of the Opium User, rather than to warn them from it. Many a vic- 
tim of the habit, tempted to his first dalliance with the " drug" by 
DeQuineey's vivid statement of the delights it causes, has after- 
wards felt that the same author's "Murder as a Fine Art" has no 
more complete illustration than that afforded by his essay on Opium 
Using. 

It is true that there are great contrasts between the Liquor and 
the Opium habits. Drunkenness is a social vice. It has its saloons, 
where men meet to talk and drink in company ; where merriment 
and laughter prevail. But the habit of Morphia Using is a solitary 
one. The victim of the Opium disease steals silently into the apoth- 
ecary's shop for his "drug," looking furtively around, and speaking 
in whispers, lest some one should discover him in the act of which 
he is ashamed. And while one of the primary influences of the 
" drug " in the first stages of the habit is, often, to make one talka- 
tive and sociable, yet in a short time distaste for society begins 
to manifest itself. When the first exhilarations caused by the 
"drug" have ceased, never to be felt again, the Opium user's life 
becomes more and more narrowed within the dim circle of his own 
dreaming. 

It is only the philanthropist, or those who have experienced the 
weight of sorrow which alcoholic intoxication so often brings upon 
the innocent, who look upon the use of liquor with entire abhor- 
rence. The majority of people, if they do not smile at or excuse it, 
are indifferent on the subject. The staggering Drunkard provokes 
the laughter of the crowd ; men roar at his antics, or good-naturedly 
deride his maudlin speech. But if a sallow, thin-faced Opium User 



128 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

should pass by, With sad, hopeless look, and fixed, despairing eyes, 
they would gaze upon him in shrinking silence, seeing no ground for 
sport or humor in his appearance. The man who drinks to excess 
usually finds ready apologists ; he is called a "good fellow," and 
" nobody's enemy hut his own ;" hut the victim of Opium intoxica- 
tion finds no such charity, he is rather despised for his apparent 
weakness, and all who know his secret look askance at him. 

Under the influence of Alcohol, men freely tell to strangers the 
secrets which, when sober, they guard most carefully ; but the ten 
dency of Opium is to make its habitues hide even important secrets 
from their dearest friends. He who is intoxicated by Alcohol laughs 
at the most foolish things ; the Opium User does not laugh heartily 
and naturally at all. Whatever pleasures he may have, he " takes 
sadly." 

Literature is full of drinking songs and poems in praise of wine ; 
but the praises of the Poppy and its juice have been but sparely 
sung, and only because their "drowsy syrup " medicines men to sleep. 

Alcoholic intoxication develops individual peculiarities, bring- 
ing out quarrelsomeness, self-conceit, whatever may be the ruling 
characteristic of the individual. Opium, while it may be idiosyn- 
cratic in its purely physical effects, tends to reduce the minds and 
feelings of those who use it to a level — dull, dark and very dreary. 
Drunkenness may have its heights and depths ; but Opium Using 
leads into a Death Valley ; a level waste of sand, with arid cacti, 
destitute even of the beauty of sunshine. 

However the two methods of stimulation may differ in so many 
of their immediate and more remote effects, they are alike in being 
powerfully destructive of nerve tissues, and in their antagonism to 
healthy vital energy. The pathological effects of Opium products 
upon the system have been fully discussed in a previous chapter. 
Alcohol, when taken into the stomach, either pure or contained in 
spirituous or fermented drinks, is at once absorbed, and taken undi- 
gested, that is, as alcohol, into the blood. By this it is immediately 
carried to every part of the body, and every particle of nerve fibre is 
bathed by it. The albumen, of which each nerve is in part com- 
posed, as soon as it feels the touch of the alien and offensive intruder, 
coagulates, just as the white of an egg instantly becomes hardened 
when placed in contact with alcohoi. Thus isomerism takes place, 
the structure of the nerve tissue is changed, and also, to some extent, 
broken down. The body at once endeavors to expel the poison, in 



OH, THE FETTERS BROKEK. 129 

the only way possible, viz : through the emunctories to a limited 
extent, but principally by burning it, and throwing off the products 
of the combustion by the skin, breath, and other secretions. To do 
this, and to repair the injured nerve tissue, and to accomplish both 
as quickly as possible, calls for the exertion of an extraordinary 
amount of vital energy ; and the sudden development of this force 
to consume, repair and heal, causes that rallying of the vital forces 
which we denominate stimulation. Alcohol is of value to the phy- 
sician, not because it creates vital energy, but because it is able to 
arouse and call forth latent vital force which will respond to no 
other agent. 

As the action of Alcohol upon the system is both more prompt 
and more temporary than that of Opium, so the changes caused by 
it in nerve tissue are more quickly repaired, and the nerves brought 
more speedily into a normal condition. The drinking man will often 
recover from the effects of a debauch of a week or two, in two or 
three days, while indulgence in Opium to a corresponding extent 
would necessitate the continuance of the "drug " indefinitely. The 
Double Chloride of Gold Eemedy, as prepared for the cure of chronic 
Alcoholism, will restore the system of the patient to a normal, 
healthy condition, and also entirely remove his appetite for the 
stimulant in nine days ; but the case of the average Morphine User 
is more stubborn, and frequently requires a longer time for its rad- 
ical cure. In more than five thousand cases of Chronic Alcoholism 
which I have treated, the gold has proved its marvelous power as a 
tonic, anti-septic, and sedative nervine, by re-creating the shattered 
system and annihilating the craving for drink. 

In cases where Opium using is complicated with the drinking 
habit, the former takes the stronger hold upon the system, and the 
principal treatment must be directed to its cure. And he who is 
delivered from the habitual use of Opium or its preparations, and 
brought into the condition of perfect physical health, which the 
Gold Remedy induces, will find himself cleansed from his craving for 
Alcoholic stimulants also. The elimination of the stronger poison 
seems to carry with it all weaker ones; delivered from that, the 
man is free indeed ! 



130 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

CHAPTER XXII. 



OPIUM SMOKING. 

Did you ever experience the whispered hush of an Opium •• den" 
or "joint," with its pungent, acrid odors, and its prostrate, silent 
forms, while at the same time listening to the hurrying rush and 
roar of traffic in the streets without ? If not, then you have an 
experience before you. It is a picture, however, that will he readily 
recognized by every Opium User who "hits the Pipe" in any of our 
large cities. 

In these so-called "joints," the existence of a confirmed Opium 
Smoker becomes as widely separate and apart from the active life 
of men, as the place of his resort is unlike the noisy thoroughfares 
and busy marts of trade. It is here he comes to conjure up the 
other half of his dual existence, to submerge himself in the Le- 
thean wave of forgetfulness. It is here he comes for oblivion and 
rest from vexatious toils and hardships, a temporary relief from 
the realities of practical existence. Few people in this work-a-day 
world of ours feel that they can carry the "cross" necessary to 
winning the promised "crown" without the agency of some help, 
natural or supernatural ; the burden becomes heavy as the road be- 
comes steep ; and, like the tired Savior, they must rest by the way. 
Like Him, too, they must rely upon other help than that within 
themselves. He looked for Divine help, while they receive theirs 
from the sorcery of " Madjoon." 

In these "dens," then, the tired souls of men can have "sur- 
cease from sorrow," and the exactions of weary life. In these 
"dens" is the worship of the multiple God, "Madjoon," carried on 
every hour of the twenty- four. Votaries from the best and worst 
walks of life worship at this shrine. Time and money count for 
nothing. Life itself, thrown in the balance, counts not a feather- 
weight. Friends, family, ambition, everything that makes life 
sweet, is lost to them while they burn the pungent incense. 

The Users of other preparations of Opium can mingle with 
their fellow men and women. They have no need to resort to some 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 131 

"joint," and remain for hours to experience the effects of the 
"drug." The Smoker, however, must devote time and money to 
compel the inspiration of his god, and he can only do so in a temple, 
known as a " den " or 'joint," prepared for this Satanic worship. 

But little conversation is carried on throughout these night 
orgies, in large cities, because the smokers are drawn from every 
part of the city, and but very few are intimate with each other. 
Even worshipers of the "Madjoon" hate to have their friends un- 
derstand that they are votaries to the extent of non-control, and for 
this reason dispense their favors among the numerous "joints" of 
large cities. Another reason is, that it costs a great deal of money, 
as well as time, to satisfy themselves, and if they are suspected of 
being "better off" in the world's goods than their fellow-votaries, 
they are crowded into "contributions." In this way all Opium 
"fiends," so-called, have an extensive rather than an intimate ac- 
quaintance. They are all drawn to their rendezvous by a common 
attraction and a common purpose, viz : to enjoy that nepenthe that 
brings oblivion without pain. 

Dreamily the time passes away ; evening fades into night, and 
night into morning, with the silence only broken by the ghost-like 
movements of the "Celestial," as he glides "felt-footed " and noise- 
less from one devotee to the other. Occasionally is heard the 
grinding of the " Yen-she-gow " during the cleaning of the " Yen- 
toi " in the preparation of another Pipe. But as the night passes 
some are wrapt in heavy sleep, while others enjoy all the so-called 
delights of Opium intoxication, and with loosened tongue and quick- 
ened imagination, chatter and mutter to themselves of the imagery 
they are enjoying. The night so pictured is typical of all other 
nights passed regularly by Opium Smokers in Opium "dens." Cir- 
cumstances and surroundings may differ, but general aspects and 
results are the same. Occasionally, however, this routine monotony 
is broken, by some perturbed "victim," who realizes his condition 
and situation. This man, rising with a yawn, surveys the sleepers 
about him. First with a look of utter disgust, and second with 
much mental agitation. Shaking himself back to consciousness, to 
the astonishment of the "almond-eyed" coryphee, he steps down 
from his bunk, and, with a quick movement, passes out into the 
street, where the rising sun greets him with its beams of gladness, 
and renewed life. And as he leans against some lamp-post or other 
source of rest, he views the busy scene before him. Honest workers 



132 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

sons of toil, refreshed by "Nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep," are 
already "up and doing." 

Past him surges a life of busy activity ; a bustle and an energy 
telling of renewed vitality, in repayment of healthy sleep, a guer- 
don of honest effort and worthy toil. He gazes upon the scene and 
realizes the fact that this force daily restored is one that he has no 
part in, other than a brief or meagre desire to enjoy it. He looks 
back at the " den " just left ; remembers the sleeping forms in fitful 
slumber. He thinks of them as lost to the world, consumers, not 
producers. And then, as he looks at the active world before him, 
and feels the bustle of real life about him, two pictures cross his 
mind. One is life with all its possibilities. The other is death in 
life with all its probabilities. And he turns away with that help- 
less, sickening sensation that only comes to men when they look out 
upon the world of thick fog or murky darkness. A world to them of 
hopeless, " indefinite nothingness," that fills the poet's thought of a 
perfect blank— "a world forgotten by a world forgot." 

At such moments as this, there comes to every Opium Smoker 
the terrible feeling that he is incompetent for any duty that may 
come to him as his share in life's plan. And, if living in the West 
this would be especially true ; for in the young and ardent West, 
where every man is in competition with his fellow-man, he needs a 
clear head, a steady nerve, a quick and active muscle, together with 
a freshness of mind that must be constantly available if he would 
achieve success. Therefore, to go on with the Pipe, he knows means 
ruin and death. To leave, or rather quit it, means life with its vast 
ocean of contingent opportunities. He determines to quit it. Then 
comes the reflection, how and when? He thinks he will seek the 
counsel of some friendly and to him all-competent physician ; some 
man to whom the arcana of nature is an open book. The physician 
gives him encouragement and also treatment. He does well ; he 
quits the Pipe, and he advertises the fact among his friends, because 
he feels so happy over it, and urges them to "go and do likewise." 
He is no longer a slave to the Pipe, and he is never tired of telling 
of it. But six months later he is awakened to the fact that he is a 
slave to the " Opium Habit " in some other form. This is a revela- 
tion, and a terrible one to him. He consults his friends, and his 
friends send him to a pretentious Chinaman, who, after listening to 
his story, puts him back "on the Pipe," with the assurance that 
when he becomes again used to the Pipe, he will easily Cure him 



OK, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 133 

with his "yean she." Alas, for the confidence reposed in the yel- 
low representative of the Orient. He is again deceived, and propor- 
tionately discouraged. He again applies to his friends, but they can 
tell him nothing more. They have heard vague rumors of a Remedy 
somewhere that is a "Sure Cure." It has come to them as a wave 
filled with indefinite promise, and pregnant with a "perhaps." 
Again the seeker muses, and feels that the end of all this is death. 
His expenditure of money for a necessary gratification, taken from 
active life, necessarily causes neglect of business and financial ruin. 
Thus business and social life are lost to him, and the effects upon the 
nervous system deteriorate both body and mind. He grows rapidly 
weak and worthless ; he hastens toward an end of appalling horror; 
every tissue of the body from nerve to sinew cries and shrieks for 
its accustomed sedative. But the "drug' has lost its power; the 
system has fed to the full on Opium ; the nerves have felt the last 
possible thrill of narcotic exhilaration, and to him the day of agony 
and death has dawned if no saving power comes to him. 

The ordinary pulverized and dry Opium found in drug stores is 
not capable of producing the intoxicating effects in which Opium 
Smokers revel. The drug must go through a special process in 
order to prepare it for effective Smoking. As imported for use in 
"opium dens " it is quite unlike the crude gum of commerce, hav- 
ing been subjected to repeated washings, and has a dark, thick, 
syrup or tar-like appearance and consistency. A little of this sub- 
stance is held upon a wire in the flame of a small lamp, where it 
boils or becomes "cooked." It is then daubed upon the bowl of a 
pipe specially prepared for the purpose, an opening is made through 
it to secure draft, and then the smoker turns the pipe bowl to the 
flame, inhales three or four puffs of smoke and the "pipe" is ex- 
hausted. This process is repeated again and again, beginners being 
satisfied with half a drachm weight of the drug, or even less, while 
habitues and confirmed Opium Smokers, and Americans at that, 
have been known to consume three ounces at a single visit to their 
"den." 

All the paraphernalia of Opium Smoking indicates that its 
influences tend not to any healthy or even abnormal activity of 
body or mind, but only toward the stupor of sleep and useless 
dreaming. The Smoker lies at full length upon a narrow couch 
while he inhales the smoke, so that no motion of body or limbs, no 
exertion of any kind, shall be needful, except to let his eyelids fall 



134 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM .; 

when the Opium "stupor" shall come over him. He does not care 
to converse, nor even think, hut only to feel all stress and strain of 
hody and mind, all care, all emotion horn of actual, every-day life, 
relax and pass away, as, with closed, or open hut unseeing eyes, he 
lies upon his hard cot and his soul seems to float away into a world 
of misty dreams ; 

The number* of Americans who indulge in Opium Smoking is 
constantly increasing. Recent articles in the daily press, contain- 
ing notes of investigations of the subject lately made, reveal this 
fact, and show that the victims of the habit are to he found in 
".good society," as well as those living in the shadowed half of the 
world. Eichly dressed ladies, coming from costly residences upon 
the avenues, can he seen alighting from carriages and going down 
into the subterranean Opium *'• joints" in New York and other 
large cities. It is said that those who are able to have, and even do 
have all the "outfit" for Opium smoking at their homes, prefer to 
smoke in some Opium " joint." So-called " respectable " ladies, and 
actresses of note, may be found mingled with outcasts of their own, 
and with all classes of the other sex, in this unlively, silent fellow- 
ship. There is no noise of revelry ; all dangerous passions are dull 
and absorbed in the one over-mastering appetite for the narcotic 
intoxication. 

Fitz Hugh Ludlow wrote: "I shall never forget to my dying 
day that awful Chinese face which actually made me rein my 
horse at the door of the Opium hong where it appeared, after a 
night's debauch, at six o'clock one morning, when I was riding in 
the outskirts of a Pacific city. It spoke of such a nameless horror 
in its owner's soul, that I made the sign of a pipe, and proposed, in 
'pigeon English,' to furnish the necessary coin. The Chinaman 
sank down on the steps of the hong, like a man hearing medicine 
proposed to him when he was gangrened from head to foot, and 
made a gesture, palms downward, toward the ground, as one who 
said, ' It has done its last for me, I am paying the matured bills of 
penalty.' The man had exhausted all that Opium could give him ; 
and now, flattery past, the strong one kept his goods in peace. 
When the most powerful alleviative known to medical science has 
bestowed the last Judas kiss which is necessary to emasculate its 
victim, and, sure of its prey, substitutes stabbing for blandishment, 
what alleviation, stronger than the strongest, should soothe such 
doom ?" 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 135 

This Chinaman was what is called an Opium "fiend." 

George Parsons Lathrop, in an article on Opium Smoking in 
Scribner's Monthly, for July, 1880, page 416, describes a visit to a 
New York Opium H joint " patronized by the lowest class of Chinese. 
He says: "At the back of the room is an opening into another 
blind department, where we can dimly make out certain bunks 
placed one over the other around the walls, for the convenience of 
confirmed and thoroughly stupefied debauchees. From one of these 
a lean, wan face, belonging to a creature who is just arousing him- 
self f r om his rugged sleep, stares out upon us with terrible eyes — 
eyes that dilate with some strange interior light ; ferocious yet un- 
aggressive eyes ; fixed full upon us and yet absolutely devoid of that 
unconscious response for which we look in human eyes as distin- 
guishing them from those of brutes. This is the gaze of what is 
called an 'opium devil,' one who is supremely possessed by the 
power 01 the deadly narcotic on which he has leaned so long. With- 
out Opium he cannot live ; though human blood runs in his veins, 
it is little better than poppy juice ; he is no longer really a man, but 
a malignant essence in form, a cadaverous human shape." 

And even this stage is not the last. There is a depth below this 
deep, when the poison has done all its work, when the corrupted 
currents of the blood no longer vitalize the system, then the end 
comes ! It is an end to which many intelligent Americans, as well 
as multitudes of degraded Chinamen are hastening, and in the case 
of those as well as these, the end is horror, despair and death. 

The pathology of the Opium disease produced by Smoking the 
drug is not different from that caused by Opium or Morphine used 
in other forms. The only method of treatment which can set free 
those who may seek deliverance from the grasp of the habit before 
it is too late, is the one already suggested. For those who have 
strength of purpose to seek it, there is a door of escape into a new, 
strong, active and fruitful life. But no doubt the majority, with 
judgment, will and feelings paralyzed by their baneful habit, will 
go stupidly down the swift descent of ruin and death. 

The above was written, after much close attention given to the 
Opium Smoking Habit in the Smoking " dens " or "joints " in Chi- 
cago, St. Louis, and other large cities, under police protection, 
which was accorded me by the authorities of those cities for the 
purpose if stuSying this phase of the Opium Habit. I then formu- 
lated a Special Remedy for the Opium Smoking Habit, with the 



136 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

Double Chloride of Gold as a basis, which has been used from Maine 
to California, making a Cure in every case ; and I have many hun- 
dreds of Testimonials from those whom it has cured in all parts of the 
Union. I will cure any Opium Smoker at his own home upon Two 
Pairs of my Remedy inside of Three Weeks ; or I will take any case 
coming here to Dwight, Illinois, under my own personal supervision 
—no matter how desperate the case may be, or what the addiction, 
or length of habituation, and make an easy, painless Cure of it 
within the limits of Two Weeks. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



CHLOiRAL. 



The Hydrate of Chloral, which was hailed at first by the med- 
ical profession as a hypnotic and sedative producing only good 
effects, and as a long-sought specific for inducing sleep in cases of 
nervous disturbance, is, after a brief period of popularity, now 
falling into discredit. Experience has shown it to be a dangerous 
remedy, one which should be exhibited with great circumspection, 
and one whose reactive and secondary effects are often very dis- 
astrous. Dr. B. W. Richardson, of London, England, who, by his 
early experiments, did much to call the attention of the profession 
to the Hydrate of Chloral and to encourage its use, expressed regret, 
on a late public occasion, that he had been instrumental in introduc- 
ing a drug so capable of abuse, and which, when abused, wrought - 
such evil results. 

In a late paper, he says: "It is a matter of deep regret that 
since the name has been given to the disease, Chloralism has become 
wide-spread. *.*...* Among the men of the middle class, 
among the most active of these in all its divisions — commercial, lit- 
erary, medical, philosophical, artistic, clerical— Chloralism, varying 
in intensity of evil, has appeared. In every one of these classes I 
have named, and in some others, I have seen the sufferers from it, 



OR, THB FJBTTJSJLiS BROKEN. 137 

and have heard their testimony in relation to its effects upon their 
organizations. Effects exceedingly uniform, and, as a rule, exceed- 
ingly baleful." 

Two years after the introduction of the drug into general prac- 
tice, the same well-known physician sounded a note of warning, at a 
meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. 
But it was before the echoes of the welcome and applause which 
greeted Chloral Hydrate as supplying the desideratum so long 
sought, the profession as a whole, believed and proclaimed that 
this drug was wholly beneficial, and his words aroused much adverse 
criticism. It was stoutly insisted that no cause for alarm existed. 
But his predictions have been verified, and the irregular use of Chlo- 
ral as a habitual narcotic has so increased that, recently, the Clinical 
Society of London appointed a special committee to investigate the 
matter. In this country, as well as in Great Britain, there are a 
large number of Chloral habitues. The prevalence of sleeplessness 
caused by nervous difficulties has resulted in the habitual self-admin- 
istration of this drug in thousands of cases. It is not strange that 
those who, by reason of care or sorrow, or of disease-shattered 
nerves, become desperate through their weary watchings for the 
slow coming of dawns, and seek for any means to win sleep to their 
pillows : 

" Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, 
The death of each day's life, sore labor's hath, 
Balm of hurt minds, great Nature's second course, 
Chief nourisher in life's feast." 

And finding that "Nature's soft muse" can be enticed to visit 
and to bless them by the cunning of Chloral, they com© at length to 
choose this drug as their " familiar " to nightly sink them, by its 
magic, into dreamless slumber. 

Others come into the condition of sleeplessness through exces- 
sive alcoholic stimulation. "These persons," says Dr. Eichardson, 
"at first wake many times in the night with coldness of the lower 
limbs, cold sweatings, startings and restless dreamings. In a little 
time they become nervous about submitting themselves to sleep, and 
before long habituate themselves to watchfulness and restlessness, 
until a confirmed insomnia is the result. Worn out with sleepless- 
ness, and failing to find any relief that is satisfactory or safe in 
their false friend, Alcohol, they turn to Chloral, and in it find, for a 



138 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

season, the oblivion which they desire, and which they call rest It 
is a kind of rest, and is no doubt, better than no rest at all : but it 
leads to the unhealthy state that we are now conversant with, and 
it rather promotes than destroys the craving for alcohol. In short, 
the man who takes to Chloral after Alcohol enlists two cravings for 
a single craving, and is doubly shattered in the worst sense/' 

The wonder is that the profession should for a moment have 
imagined that an anodyne and soporific so powerful would have no 
injurious secondary effects. So potent an agent, one able, almost as 
with a blow to produce concussion of the brain, to stupefy the 
patient, must of necessity be a dangerous one, or at least, probably 
dangerous During the twelve years which have elapsed since 
the attention of the profession at large was called to Chloral, the 
fact that it is a dangerous remedy has been abundantly shown. It 
is true that the testimony of physicians as to the effects upon the 
system of the habitual use of Chloral is by no means uniform. 
Some still claim that many persons can use it in large daily or 
nightly doses for months or even years, without experiencing any 
ill effects, or establishing a craving for this drug, and they have 
reported cases which seem to sustain their assertions. 

But on the whole, the evidence is overwhelming that in at least 
a considerable portion of the cases the continuous use of chloral 
hydrate, establishes a habit, and one which is often more rapidly 
destructive than the habit of Opium Using. Dr. Madison Marsh, 
writing of Chloral, uses the following language : " Its effects are so 
pleasant, its use so exquisitely fascinating, that the habit once 
acquired, a person becomes a slave to its use, never to stop until 
death closes the scene. The enchantment of Alcoholic stimulants, 
Cannabis Indica, Morphine or Tobacco, bind with silken cords, com- 
pared to bars and hooks of steel thrown around the unhappy victim 
of this popular drug and infatuating stimulant." 

This language can apply only to exceptional cases ; that is, while 
the effects of Chloral in giving sleep are produced upon nearly all, 
there can be but very few to whom its use is so infatuating. But 
whether taken to relieve pain, to procure sleep, to quiet general 
nervous disturbance, or to produce a fascinating intoxication, the 
habitual use of Chloral is often rapidly destructive in its effects 
upon the body and mind. It causes weakness of the eyes, a shrink- 
ing from light, conjunctivitis, sometimes " double sight," and in some 
cases total blindness. The latter result has been caused by the 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 139 

temporary use of Chloral. Amaurosis, at least partial, and also 
excessive lachrymation, have resulted from its habitual use Per- 
sons, especially ladies of sensitive organization, are often unable to 
take even occasional doses of this drug without decidedly unpleasant 
effects both upon the sight and the appearance of the eyes. 

The habitual use of Chloral often occasions acute pains in the 
lower limbs, and often the patient becomes unable to use the legs. 
Vertigo, and partial and even complete paralysis, have resulted 
from the same cause. It occasions dyspepsia, accompanied by 
coated tongue and bad breath. It irritates and often produces con 
gestion in the mucous lining of the bladder and urethra. In frogs. 
to which fatal doses of Chloral had been given, the whole heart was 
gorged with blood, having suffered complete paralysis. Palpitation 
of the heart, and irregular action of that organ, are frequent ac- 
companiments of the habit. Chloral disorganizes the blood, causing 
eruptions, bleeding from the mucous membranes, falling off of the 
hair, anasmia and dropsy. 

The habit is probably more rapidly fatal in many instances than 
that of Morphia Using. Not infrequently a dose no larger than 
those habitually taken will cause death. In cases less immediately 
fatal, the victim becomes a physical wreck, his mind becomes child- 
ish, and he soon dies. 

While the habit of using Chloral can be more easily arrested 
and broken than that of opium using, yet it binds its victim with 
strong cords, and, under ordinary methods of treatment, those who 
discontinue its use do not for a long time recover from its evil effects. 
The physician cannot be too careful in prescribing it, and no patient 
should venture to administer it to himself. It is a dangerous and 
treacherous drug ; and though it may give temporary relief to him 
who is suffering from insomnia caused by pain or nervous exhaus- 
tion, yet, unless great care betaken, the last state of the patient will 
be worse than his first. 



140 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

HASCHISH. 

Haschish intoxication, no longer confined to Asia and the In- 
dian seas, has become established and is on the increase in Europe 
and the United States. This drug, kaown also as cannabis indica, 
has been used immemorially in the East as a narcotic intoxicant. 
Much use of it has been made in those countries as a stimulus to 
the religious exaltations and ecstacies of the priestly castes. The 
exhilaration produced by it is considered to come from some divine 
inspiration ; the devotee believes himself to be in communion with 
his god, and his insane utterances are received as prophecies of 
awful import by his awe-struck hearers. It is said that when a 
Malay becomes tired of existence, and resolves to end it by ''run- 
ning a muck," he stimulates himself to recklessness with Haschish 
or " bhany," before he begins his murderous and fatal dash. Under 
the powerful influences of this drug, he loses his instinctive love of 
living and fear of death, he is simply wrought up to a blind and 
brutal frenzy, and will cut and stab men, women and children until 
some lucky sword-cut or pistol-shot brings him down. By some 
travelers it is claimed that these desperate human devils are Hasch- 
ish habitues, who have reached the end of their fool's paradise, and, 
unable to receive further stimulation from this drug, and utterly 
shattered in body and mind, suddenly plunge through slaughter to 
death. It seems to be a fact that the strange apathy toward death 
frequently exhibited by the people of Oriental regions often results 
from the influence of Haschish. It throws the whole mind into an 
abnormal condition, and even the strongest instincts are tempora- 
rily obliterated. That an intelligent, educated American should 
habitually take the same drug which sends the mad Malay, naked 
and with eyes aglare, along the murderous race to death, seems in- 
congruous, to say the least. 

And for such persons to use the extract of Indian hemp as an 
intoxicant seems the more strange when it is considered that in 
almost all cases the effect of this drug upon the mental nature is 
more abnormal than that of Opium. The recorded experiences of 
Americans who have experimented with Haschish are not particu- 



OK, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 141 

larly attractive ; they have not the tempting power with which 
writers on the Opium Habit entice new victims to dally with this 
"drug." Bayard Taylor, some years ago, wrote of an experiment 
which he and others made, while in Cairo, with Haschish The 
principal feature of its influence seems to have been an infinite en- 
largement of the sensations by which extension and time are noted 
or measured by the consciousness. The mind, escaped from the 
ordinary laws of association, and all other established rules of ac- 
tion, leaps and wheels and darts, with endless movement and gyra- 
tions, from idea to idea, from dream to dream , from reverie to 
reverie, in a tumultuous chaos of utterly disjointed thought. The 
power of measuring time is wholly lost. So all sense of distance is 
for the time absent. The wild swirling of the thoughts, released 
from law and all ordered action, make the mind incapable of real- 
izing space or duration. Bayard Taylor, after this drug had begun 
to exert its power, set out to go a short distance along the street. 
The journey, which was really the walk of a minute or two, seemed 
endless. Through cycles of eternities he toiled along ; the distance 
appeared to be as infinite as the time. The story of the doubting 
king who, at the bidding of the magician, plunged his face into a 
basin of water and at once lifted it again, but in that short space 
between two breaths lived for thirty years— years made up of days 
of toil and nights of weariness, with youth and manhood, with mar- 
riage and the coming of little children, with frugal joys and sad 
bereavements. This story without doubt, was born of Haschish. 

Those who have tried this drug also tell of strange hallucina- 
tions which they experienced, of the judgment paralyzed and the 
will dethroned, of all the better faculties of the mind intoxicated 
and whirling in riotous, ever-shifting dervish dances. Surely such 
stimulation should present no attraction to sane and sober minds ! 

One peculiar effect of this drug, which is sometimes experienced, 
is thus described by a writer : "Amid the ever-shifting spectacular 
scene, the sense or personal, identity is never perhaps entirely 
lost, but there does arise, in very rare instances, the notion of 
a duality of existence ; not the Persian idea, precisely, that of two 
souls occupying one and the same body in a joint stock associa- 
tion, as it were ( the doctrine as alluded to by Xenophon in the 
story of the beautiful Panthea), but rather the idea of one and the 
same soul in a duplication of by-partition sense, and present in two 
bodies." 



142 FROM B0XDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

It is perhaps only a minority of those who have tested this drug 
who experience any pleasant or even remarkable sensations. To 
many it gives only unpleasant feelings, passing, with increase of the 
dose, into actual sickness. It often gives a painful sense of fullness 
in the head, accompanied at times by a snapping or crackling sensa- 
tion, with dryness of the mouth, dimness of vision, and generally 
uncomfortable feelings. 

It is possible, but hardly probable, if cannabis indica were used 
in medicine to anything like the extent to which Opium and Mor- 
phine now are, there would be almost as many cases of haschish 
mania as there are now of Opium disease. But it is more likely 
that the habit of stimulation by this drug is, and would be, mainly 
limited to persons of decidedly nervous organization, who resemble 
in physical constitution the thin and sallow children of the Orient. 
It is to be hoped that the intoxication produced by this extract of 
hemp is too unpractical to be widely sought by the common-sense 
American. The most of those who would use this narcotic are the 
class (an increasing one, it is true,) who have naturally abnormal 
cravings for unnatural stimulation, and who, like Opium Smokers, 
are not unwilling to sink out of real active life into a world of sense- 
less dreaming. 

I will only add that the one tonic Remedy so far discovered 
which is able to restore nerves shattered by Chloralism or Haschish 
using, is the Chloride of Gold and Sodium. It cannot, perhaps, 
restore tissues destroyed by the acrid properties of chloral hydrate, 
but it will restore to the nervous system all the latent energies of 
which it is capable, and deliver the slave of habitual narcotization 
from his bondage. It breaks up the periodicity which these habits 
assume, and gives strength of will and naturalness of desire, so that 
the evil and unnatural craving is wholly lost. 



OR, TELE FETTERS BROKEN. 143 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE COCAIXE HABIT. 

I have referred in a previous chapter to the use of erythroxylon 
coca as a so-called " Cure ,? for the Opium disease ; and will now fur- 
ther enlarge on its active and more pernicious principle — Cocaine. 

The history of this "drug" is a short one ; but in its tendency 
to sap every interest in life, to destroy every noble ambition, to sub- 
vert manhood and uproot all obligations to God and family, it 
stands at the head as the most hurtful and devilish in its power for 
evil of all the drugs for which a habit can be formed ; degrading as 
it does, man — that noblest of all God's creatures, which He endowed 
with His own image and likeness — to an object of loathing and dis- 
gust to himself, and of humiliation to his friends. So benign is its 
influence few suspect the lurking demon hidden within, or heed the 
prophetic warning— "In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt 
surely die." Alluring and fascinating in its balmy atmosphere of 
serenity and pleasure, like the treacherous mirage, it tempts the 
unwary traveler with pictures of Elysian fields and flowing foun- 
tains, only to leave him at last in a trackless desert, a prey to those 
jackals of the profession, unprincipled traffickers in the woes of 
humanity. 

Used originally as a local anaesthetic, no fears of constitutional 
effects were entertained. Experience proving it cumulative, a smai i 
dose will usually effect a system once under its influence as much 
as a larger dose of Opium. 

To obviate the depression which follows its use, and silence the 
reproaches of a still sensitive conscience, the "victim" resorts to 
the "drug" again and again for its exhilarating effects rather than 
as a relief from pain. 

Its distinctive feature is due to hyperemia of the nerve centers ; 
but as the effect is only transient, reaction sets in with ever increas- 
ing power and with lessening intervals, until the habit is formed. 

When first brought to the notice of the profession, the new 
anaesthetic was heralded from one end of the world to the other. 
Lauded in medical journals and by the press, by those inter- 
ested in itslfeale and production, physicians recommended it, after 



144 FROM BONDAGE TO FKJSEDOM ; 

superficial investigation, innocently, perhaps, but with fatal igno- 
rance of its dangers. The Opium Habitues used it, and its first 
effect seemed to warrant its being vaunted as a Cure. The Profes- 
sional World spread the glad tidings, which were taken up by the 
newspapers and echoed and reechoed as the long sought for "way 
of escape." And so the poor victim went from bad to worse, own- 
ing today a dual slavery. Gladly would he retrace his steps and 
escape the relentless pursuit of a double nemesis. 

To such an one, the last Star of Hope seems to arise in the 
Double Chloride of Gold. Left to itself, every advance of the 
Cocaine Habit is like a misspent day ; it cannot be recalled or 
reclaimed. Every day the coils of the charmer are tightened, leav- 
ing him with less power to assert his God-given manhood ; but with 
my Remedy the spell is broken and the victim is freed from his 
bondage. 

The Cocaine or Chloral Habits of themselves are mere baga- 
telles to cure, whether under my care or at home. The use of the 
Double Chloride of Gold for either Habit, will make a cure beyond 
a peradventure of doubt inside of one week. Where, however, the 
Cocaine or Chloral Habit is joined to that of Opium, it will take 
from four to six weeks to make a thorough Cure in Home Treat- 
ment; and the same where the Opium Habit, Cocaine or Chloral 
Habit is dual with that of Alcohol. But a Cure can easily be made 
here in Dwight, under my personal supervision, of any case, no 
matter what combination of drugs are used to form a Habit with 
Alcohol, in from eight to twenty days. 

The immediate results of treatment under my care, are mani- 
fest in an improved appetite, restful sleep and active mental force. 
The treatment will give back the freshness of youth, encourage 
hope and physical vigor. The Cures are made quietly and gently, 
without disturbance to the system, with every improvement a per- 
manent one ; and patients hardly realize they are under treatment, 
till they find themselves restored to hearty, buoyant health, and as 
strong and vigorous as they ever were in the hey-day of life. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 145 

CHAPTEE XXVI. 

HOW TO PROCURE TREATMENT FOR THE OPIUM HABIT. 

The question is often asked, in the many letters we receive * 
" Is your Gold Cure for the Opium Habit equally efficacious in the 
Cure of the Laudanum, or Morphine Habit, or in the Cure of the 
Opium Smoking Habit?" For the benefit of such inquirers, we 
would say that Opium is not only the generic name for itself, but 
is applied equally to its derivatives, the principal of which are 
Morphine, Laudanum, Svapnia, and Codeia. An addiction there- 
fore, to Opium or any of its products, as above, is known as the 
"Opium Habit." Hence, our Eemedy for the Opium disease, no 
matter in what form Opium is used, is known as " Gold Cure for 
the Opium Habit." We, however, Gold-grade Eemedy for special 
cases, and to meet special conditions, when such conditions are 
made known to us, and in this way get immediate best results. For 
this reason, we would like all Opium Users in writing for the 
Eemedy to state age, sex, weight, occupation, whether married or 
single, present condition of health, also in what form and how 
long the "drug" has been used, whether the addiction is Gum 
Opium, Powdered Opium, Opium Smoking, Laudanum, or Mor- 
phine; and if Morphine, whether taken by Mouth or Hypoder- 
mically. By being particular in this matter, patients can always 
get a special Gold-grade suitable to their individual case. 

Patients located at easy writing distance from Dwight, may 
purchase One Pair of Eemedy ( two bottles ) at a time, as that 
quantity is sufficient in some cases to make a Cure. If more is 
needed, it can be easily supplied. Patients at a distance, however, 
can, if preferred, purchase Three Pairs at a time, and have it sent 
in one shipment. By so doing, in addition to a reduction in 
Express charges, they will be protected against a "break" in 
treatment, which is always disastrous, and which may easily occur 
by any accident or delay in transit. All patients purchasing 
more Eemedy, in this way, than enough to make a Cure, incur no 
extra expense, as all unopened bottles are promptly redeemed by 
us at cost, at close of treatment. 

Gold Cure for the Opium Habit is sold only in Pairs, consisting 



146 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

of two bottles, eight ounces each. Price, $10.00 per Pair. The 
Remedy being liquid must he shipped by Express. It is always 
best to enclose Money with the order by so doing, patients will 
save return Express charges on a C. O. D. shipment. But if pre- 
ferred, the Remedy will be sent C. O. D. Money may be sent us 
by Postofflce Order, Express Order, Registered Currency, or by 
Draft. Special care and promptness are given to all Orders, and 
shipments made by Express as directed. Be careful to give your 
ISTame, and Postoffice address plainly, if you have to print it as 
children do when learning to write, as we are often troubled by 
letters returned where names and addresses are not plainly given. 
If the Express and Postoffice address are at different points, be 
particular to give both. 

All correspondence will be strictly under the seal of pro- 
fessional confidence. 

We do not send out our Remedy for the Opium Habit on the 
"so much per month 1 ' plan, but make a uniform price to all, rich 
and poor alike, viz : Ten Dollars per Pair. Sending out a 
remedy at "so much a month" presupposes what is generally a 
fact, that it takes months to effect a cure. In no case need a 
patient (taking even as high as forty grains a day by the mouth ) 
be under treatment longer than five weeks before the cure is com- 
pleted. The most difficult hypodermic case of from twenty-four to 
thirty grains daily can be cured easily inside of six weeks ; and any 
Opium Smoker can be cured inside of two weeks. Then why send 
medicine out "by the month?" Two bottles of our Remedy will 
enable any opium or morphine user, no matter how used, or 
in what quantity, to reduce his daily quantum of the " drug " at 
least three-fourths. We do not ask, neither do we care, how much 
his daily allowance may be, nor yet the manner in which he takes 
it ; if he will only follow our directions carefully, he can reduce the 
daily quantity one-half on the first bottle, and one-half the remainder 
on the second bottle. This will only leave him one- fourth of the 
original amount to contend with, and the cure can be perfected with 
comparative ease. This system of reduction can be followed in every 
case, even ttie most difficult, and the results are always uniformly 
the same. This fact is sufficient guarantee to the public that our 
Remedy is honest, genuine, and entirely free from opium or any of 
its derivatives. It is a positive proof that the Double Chloride of 
Gold will do all that is claimed for it, when used as we direct. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 147 

HOME TREATMENT. 

Home Treatment necessarily takes longer than that which is 
pursued under Sanitarium Methods. One reason of this is because 
the patient, when left to himself, does not always follow directions 
as carefully as he ought to. He is often induced to follow his own 
judgment instead of that of his prescribing physician, and hence 
omits important instructions. Then again, the plan laid down must 
be uniform, and adapted as near as possible to all cases. It is evi- 
dent that some will progress faster than others ; some can be pushed 
along at a rapid rate, while others have to take their time. While 
a uniform plan will be successful in every case, it will necessarily 
make the progress of Cure longer in some than it would if the Treat- 
ment were specially and personally conducted under our own super- 
vision. We have succeeded in obviating much of this difficulty by 
preparing a printed blank Report which, when filled out, accurately 
states the patient's condition at any given time. When we treat 
any one at a distance we furnish several of these Eeports accompa- 
nied with Addressed Envelopes, and request that one be filled out 
and mailed to us every third day. By this, means we can keep 
informed of the progress made, and learn the exact condition of our 
patient, and thus give him any advice which may be necessary. 
This system of reports also enables us to ascertain whether our in- 
structions are being properly carried out or not. The varying phases 
of the Opium Disease, and its complications intercurrent and con- 
current with other diseases, make this Report very essential. 

We shall be glad to hear from anyone on this subject. 

The Chloride of Gold Opium Cure is prepared under our own 
personal supervision and accurately graded with special reference to 
each case. Put up in Pairs only. Price, Ten Dollars per Pair. 
THE LESLIE E. KEELEY CO., 

Dwight, Illinois. 



148 . From bondage to Freedom ; 

THE REMEDY ANALYZED. 

A LETTER FROM S. THORNTON K. PRIME. 

Dwight, III., January 9th, 1882. 
Dr. Leslie E. Keeley, Dwight, Illinois: 

Dear Doctor: You will remember that some two months since, when 
I was in your Laboratory, we were discussing the merits of the "Double 
Chloride of Gold Cure for the Opium Habit." I remarked to you that a 
great many people doubted the fact that your remedy contained gold, 
and asserted that it did contain Opium in some form. I suggested to you 
that, if you had no objections, I would take a bottle of the " Double 
Chloride of Gold for the Opium Habit " and have an analysis made. With 
your permission, I selected a bottle from the stock prepared for shipment, 
and placed it in the hands of Professor George A. Mariner, an experienced 
chemist of Chicago. 

I am in receipt of his report, and herewith enclose it. You will observe 
that it fully substantiates all that you have claimed for this Remedy. 

You are at liberty to make such use of this information as you see fit. 
Yours truly, S. Thornton K. Prime, 

Proprietor Prime's Crop Bureau. 



PROFESSOR GEORGE A. MARINER. 

Laboratory of Prof. Geo. A. Mariner, Analytical and Consulting 
Chemist and Assayer. 

Rooms 49, 51 and 55, No. 81 South Clark street, 

Chicago, III., December 27th, 1881. 
This certifies that I have tested a bottle of medical compound labeled 
"Dr. Leslie E. Keeley's Double Chloride of Gold Cure for the Opium 
Habit," for S. Thornton K. Prime, and find that it contains Gold as a 
Chloride, and that it contains no Morphine, or other derivative of 
Opium. 

EIGHT YEARS LATER. 

Gentlemen: Since the above analysis was made, eight years ago, I 
have witnessed the Cure of a great many patients under your care in 
Dwight. The Remedy is a marvelous one for the Cure of the Opium 
Habit, and I consider Dr. Keeley the benefactor of the age. 

S. Thornton K. Prime, 

Dwight, 111., Dec. 1st, 1889. Proprietor Prime's Crop Bureau. 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 149 

THE KEELEY REMEDIES ENDORSED BY THE UNITED STATES GOV- 
ERNMENT, AND INTRODUCED IN THE NATIONAL AND STATE 
HOMES FOR SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS'. 

THE DOUBLE CHLORIDE OF GOLD TO BE USED IX TWENTY-EIGHT NATIONAL 
AND STATE SOLDIERS* AND SAILORS' HOMES — A COURSE OF INSTRUC- 
TION TO BE GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PHYSICIANS — NAMES OF 
THE BOARD OF MANAGERS. 

[ From the Chicago Tribune, February 23d, 1892.] 

A substantial testimonial to the value of the Keeley cure for inebriety 
and kindred diseases, comes from the Government of the United States in 
the shape of a contract for use of the Double Chloride of Gold Remedies in 
twenty-eight National and State Soldiers' and Sailors' Homes. The Leslie 
E Keeley Company has offered its remedies to the Government at the price 
to agents, and has, in addition, agreed to give a course of instruction to 
the physicians who wili have charge of administering the treatment at 
these homes. This is in the nature of charity, and i" similar to the ar- 
rangement made with the Mutual Medical Aid Association of Chicago. 

Negotiations have been on foot for some time, and yesterday Dr. Keeley 
received the following letter from the Governor of the National Military 
Home of Kansas, notifying him of the acceptance of his offer by the 
authorities in charge of the National Homes for disabled volunteers: 

Governor's Office, 
Western Branch N. H. for D. Y. S., 
Dr. Leslie E. Keeley. Leavenworth Co., Kas., Feb. 19, 1892. 

Dear Sir: I have just laid down a letter from Gen. William B. 
Fi anklin, President of the Board of Managers of the National Home for 
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, returning the copy of the contract with The 
Leslie E. Keeley Company for the establishment of a branch institute of 
your Company in each of the seven National and twenty-one State Homes 
in the United States. He speaks emphatically of the great good that the 
future has in store for the unfortunate victims of alcoholism, and desires 
me to present his personal thanks for your generous assistance in enabling 
the Board to grant this great boon to the unfortunates under its charge. 

I have the honor to enclose a certified copy of the resolutions of the 
Board cf Managers instructing Maj. E. N. Morrill, the local manager of 
this branch of the Home, to close a contract with you for the use of your 
remedies in the seven National and twenty-one State Homes, and also a 
copy of the vote of thanks of the Board of Managers to you personally 
for your kindness in th6 matter. 

those who compose the board. 

The Board is composed of the following named gentlemen: The Presi- 
dent of the United States, the Chief Justice, the Secretary of War — ex- 
officios; Gen. William B. Franklin, President cf the Board; Gen. William 
J. Sewell, First Vice President; Gen. John C. Black, Second Vice President; 
Gen. Martin T= McMahon, Secretary; Col. John L. Mitchell, Maj. Edmund 
Morrill. Gem George Bonebrake. Gen. Alfred L Pearson, Gen. James Bar- 
nett Gen. Francis Fassenden, and Gen. George W. Steele 

ANDREW J.SMITH. 



150 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 



CHAPTEE XXVII. 

GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO BE OBSERVED WHILE TAKING THE 

DOUBLE CHLORIDE OF GOLD CURE FOR THE 

OPIUM HABIT. 

Take the Remedy in teaspoonful closes in a quarter of a glass of 
water, every two hours, clay and night, if you are awake during the 
night. If you can sleep without the aid of Opium or Morphine, 
the Remedy need not be taken during the night. If the Remedy is 
too strong for the stomach, add more water to each dose. 

2. Take a regular hot bath, followed by vigorous rubbing with 
a coarse towel, every second day, if possible. When it is impossible 
to take proper hot baths, the patient should take hot sponge baths. 

3. It is important that exercise of all kinds be taken, especially 
walking. 

4. As soon as you commence treatment, weigh accurately the 
quantity of Opium or Morphine required each day, and reduce the 
daily allowance of the " drug" one-half, and let this be the max- 
imum daily allowance for seven days ; then reduce one-half again 
(leaving one-fourth), and let this be the maximum for the next 
seven days ; then reduce one-half again (leaving one-eighth), and 
let this be the maximum for the next seven days ; then reduce one- 
half again ( leaving one-sixteenth), and let this be the maximum 
for the next seven days ; then stop the use of it altogether, thus 
completing a cure in a calendar month. If the daily quantum is 
very large, another, or even two or three more similar reductions 
may be made. Usually the patient can stop on one-eighth of a 
grain ; but sometimes he should reduce to one-sixteenth of a grain 
before ceasing entirely, so as to avoid unnecessary inconvenience. 
He will find that these small quantities will sustain him as much 
or even more fully than ten, or twenty, or thirty grains did before 
taking the Gold Remedy. These easy stages of descent, in con- 
junction with the Remedy, will enable the system to become thor- 
oughly accustomed to each diminished quantity, and finally the 
system will no longer need or crave the " drug." 

5. With the third week, and earlier if possible, a system of 
extension should be added to the reduction. That is, the intervals 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 151 

between doses should be extended. If you went twenty-four hours 
yesterday on a certain amount, let the same quantity suffice for the 
next thirty hours. Rest then for a day or two, if necessary, firmly 
holding the ground you have gained, and then try to reach thirty-six 
hours, then forty, then forty-eight, and so on. Each stage of the 
contest is a long step toward final and complete victory. The 
Remedy will constantly reenforce you for a renewal of the struggle, 
and, when it has ended in triumph ( as it surely will if these general 
directions are observed ), the patient will feel that he has been almost 
miraculously free from severe suffering. 

6. If there is an attack of strong craving for the "drug," take 
a dose of the Remedy, and then a hot bath ( a sponge bath is far 
better than nothing), followed by a brisk walk. This helps to carry 
out the system of "extension." Remember, also, that the sudden 
attacks of craving are, at first, of brief duration — with considerable 
intervals between them. 

7. Be regular in all your habits, particularly with reference to 
hours of eating and sleeping. 

8. Let your diet be generous, wholesome, and nourishing. If 
the appetite be capricious, use Beef tea, Raw eggs beaten in sweet- 
ened milk, spiced, and made palatable by a teaspoonful of wine ; 
well cooked rice with a dash of cream, or Raw oysters. The prefer- 
ence to be given the eggs. 

9. Always keep the bowels open. For this purpose use any 
favorite cathartic, and never allow two days to pass without an 
action. 

10. Do not be alarmed if you are unable to sleep much for 
several nights toward the close of treatment. The sleeplessness 
will not fatigue you. It results from the healing process which 
nature is carrying on within you. As soon as the nerves are free 
from Opium, and have been built up anew ( as they will be rapidly ), 
your sleep will be as sound and sweet as that of a little child. In 
every case of cure by the Gold Remedy the condition of health 
speedily attained by the patient has been remarkable. The appetite 
for the "drug "is absolutely- extinguished. The powers and facul- 
ties are all restored, and once more, as in youth, to live is a delight. 

In some cases these rules will have to be changed somewhat; 
but they apply to the great majority of cases, and, if rigidly followed, 
will invariably result in a cure. Do not omit any rule, but observe 
all strictly. 



152 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

Send a report of progress every three days while under treat- 
ment. Don't neglect it. 

Each patient should refer to the Chapter on "Self or Home 
Treatment," pages 90 to 102, of this book, and should study it care- 
fully, as it contains full and explicit instructions concerning 
treatment. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE NEED OF LEGISLATION. 

Every year our legislatures are called upon to enact laws on a 
multiplicity of subjects affecting the general welfare of the people. 
It is surprising that amongst the many reforms proposed, some 
attention has not been given to the traffic in Opium. It is true 
that strenuous efforts have been made to prohibit the manufacture 
and sale of ardent spirits in some States, with partial success ; but 
even the advocates of Temperance do not yet seem to have appre- 
hended the magnitude and enormity of the Opium Habit and its 
consequence to the nation. This may be accounted for, to some 
extent, by the widespread ignorance prevalent concerning this 
subject. 

The foregoing pages portray the nature of the Opium disease in 
all its details ; they give careful statistics of its growth and extent, 
and show the results of this unholy traffic. If it increases in the 
next twenty- five years in the same proportion in which it has during 
the last quarter of the century, it will be the greatest curse of the age. 
And there is no reason to suppose that the increase will be in any 
smaller proportion, judging from the statistics of the last ten years 
and the present and prospective condition of the American people. 

When we fully realize the awful consequences of this traffic upon 
human life, domestic relations, and commercial interests, it is some- 
thing appalling to contemplate. We are accustomed to look with 
horror upon the slaves of Alcohol in all their wretched degradation, 
and we seek to suppress the trade in alcoholic liquors, and to reform 
the drunkards of our community. But if we could see the inner life 
of at least a million and a half of our people, we should find that 






OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 153 

they are slates to a worse enemy than Alcohol, bound in fetters 
compared with which those of Alcohol are but bands of straw ; 
and who are being pitilessly dragged down the steep and dismal path 
to death. They are slaves of Opium and Morphine ! 

When this is generally understood and appreciated ( and we trust 
this book will have its influence in this direction upon the minds of 
the people ), there is no doubt but that a popular outcry will be 
raised against a traffic so detrimental to health, happiness, and life, 
and fraught with such danger to our nation. 

It has, of late years, become a common practice for patent- 
medicine manufacturers to put opium in their nostrums, with a 
view to giving ease and quiet to those who use them. This is an 
alarming feature of the business. I have lately had to treat and 
cure a patient who had actually become a slave to a patent medicine. 
This disreputable practice is daily making Opium users in all parts 
of the country, and yet it is done with the sanction of the law. 
The reckless use of Opium by physicians, and its indiscriminate 
sale by druggists, is productive of the worst results. 

It is evident that something ought to be done to stop this 
wholesale destruction. The press is awakening to this fact, and 
many of the leading papers of the country have devoted column 
after column to its discussion. It is necessary to arouse public 
opinion, and mould it in the right direption before we can expect 
any important action to be taken by our law-makers. 

Our public schools ought to teach plain, primary truths, at 
least, concerning the nature and danger of Opium. It is not neces- 
sary to teach children a mass of scientific terms which they cannot 
either understand or remember for any length of time ; but they 
could be taught elementary lessons which would be of value to them 
throughout life. We have met with hundreds of adults in the past 
year, many of them energetic business men, who never saw any 
opium or morphine to know it, and who never knew of a single case 
of Opium Using. It is not right to allow children to grow up in 
profound ignorance of the nature and effects of a drug which is 
commonly used amongst us, and which is so destructive to all who 
use it. If people were more thoroughly acquainted with it, it would 
be more generally avoided ; but while the great masses are ignorant 
concerning it, and it is freely prescribed by doctors and dispensed 
by druggists, we must expect a large and continued increase of the 
victims of the Opium and Morphine Habit. 



154 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 

The education of the people and of the children upon this sub- 
ject would inevitably lead to suitable legislation. There should be 
stringent laws passed and properly enforced, both as to the importa- 
tion and sale of Opium. It should not be simply classed with other 
poisons, but should be the subject of special legislation. 

There should be State legislation as to its sale. A State Board 
of Health should be empowered to suppress patent medicines con- 
taining Opium in any form ( this would do away with most of the 
"Opium Antidotes " now on the market ), and punish the vendors ; 
they should have power to regulate strictly the sale of Opium and 
its preparations in drug stores, and place proper restraint upon its 
sale generally. 

The school laws might also be amended, so as to provide that 
elementary knowledge concerning opiates and stimulants in general 
use should be taught in our public schools. 

If this were done, it would make it difficult, at least, to procure 
it in large quantities ; it would have a very decided effect upon the 
reckless prescribing of it by physicians, and druggists would cease 
to pile it up in their windows and thus advertise it to the world. 
It is to be hoped that the day is near at hand when an enlightened 
and intelligent people will demand protection for themselves and 
their homes against this gigantic and growing curse of the age. 



OB, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 155 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

LAST WORDS. 

In writing this book I have kept in view two objects, which 
have appeared to me to be of prime importance. In the first place, 
I did not wish, by introducing vivid pictures of the alleged delights 
of the first stages of Opium or Morphine using, to tempt any reader 
to experiment with the " drug.' I became satisfied, long ago, that 
the descriptions of exhilaration and inspiration caused by the first 
doses of Opium, as given by writers on the subject, have in them an 
element of falsity. The melodious chantings of the praises of 
Opium to which I now refer is the singing of sirens. The splendid 
visions portrayed with glowing rhetoric are nothing but unsubstan- 
tial mirage ; a Fata Morgana which deludes and leads to death. 
Even if it were true that Opium gives, at first, strength and brilliancy 
of intellect, it would do only harm to say so. '"What shall it profit 
a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul ?" But it is not 
true. He who tampers with the "drug " loses both the whole world 
and his life. Except as used by the intelligent and careful physician 
it i3 a curse, and not, in any sense, a blessing to mankind. 

In the second place, I have deemed it best, after careful con- 
sideration of the whole subject, to so treat of remedies, and especially 
of the only successful Remedy for the Opium Habit, as to hinder, 
rather than encourage the multiplication of charlatans professing to 
cure the disease. During the last few years they have been spring- 
ing up like sudden fungus growth all over the land, sending their 
uselesSo or even poisonous, mixtures to thousands of the victims of 
Opium, and collecting from them sums which, in the aggregate, 
reach almost incredible figures. If these ignorant and unprincipled 
persons could succeed in compounding a mixture resembling in 
appearance the Double Chloride of Gold Remedy, they would at 
once advertise a Chloride of Gold " cure ;" but the bottles which they 
might send out would contain no Chloride of Gold. Opium 
sufferers would purchase their nostrums because they would be sold 
cheaply, and, receiving no benefit, would discredit the true remedy. 
The only safeguard against quackery, on the one hand, and the 
dangers attendant upon the intelligent use of so powerful an agent 



156 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 

as the Chloride of Gold and Sodium on the other, is to confine its 
administration as a remedy for the Opium Habit to reputable and 
instructed hands. No one who has not made a specialty of treating 
Opium patients can realize what mischief and suffering ; what loss 
of money ; and, what is far worse, of hope, have been caused by 
those who send out vaunted "cures" of the Opium Habit which 
utterly fail to effect any good result. I would far rather that my 
discovery of the curative properties of the Chloride of Gold and 
Sodium in Opium diseases had never been made than it should fall 
into such hands. 

The wonderful intellectual development which has taken place 
in the United States during the last fifty years, has over-shadowed 
and dwarfed all movements toward intelligent and persistent 
physical culture. There have been a few prophets of muscular 
Christianity— scattered John the Baptists crying in the wilderness — 
but the enthusiasm of their disciples has been short-lived. As our 
life becomes more and more artificial, brains are enabled to do the 
work formerly performed by muscles, and shrewdness and cunning 
take the place of strength. If a man is ' smart, y1 he is held to have 
reached the only standard of perfection which is recognized. Stock 
Boards and Boards of Trades are fields for the intellect rather than 
the physical nature. 

The attempt to attain a condition of power and influence by 
means of narcotic, and other stimulation, always fails of its end, 
and is always destructive in its results. One's own nature fixes the 
limit of his achievement, and by no aid of drugs can he enlarge the 
boundaries. Let each one exert whatever natural and wholesome 
power he may have, then his work will be genuine. Many of my 
more intellectual patients, when thoroughly cured of Opium disease, 
have expressed, in emphatic terms, the joy and satisfaction they 
felt in coming into the real world and active life ; and, also, their 
abhorrence of any kind of unnatural stimulation, because of the 
unreality and falseness involved in it. The condition of health and 
energy into which they pass when they emerge from their cickly, 
unreal Opium world, enables them to feel how false and injurious 
are all conditions of abnormal stimulation compared with natural 
inspiration and genuine, honest work. Let each one do the best 
work he can, but not endeavor to surpass the possibilities of his 
nature, or spur his wearied energies by swallowing poison of any kind. 

The Influence of both Opium and Alcohol upon the offsprings 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 157 

of parents addicted to the use of either is well known to be injurious. 
For the sake of the children to be born to them, men and women 
should keep themselves clean from the use of unnatural narcotics 
and stimulants. Even if their own physical natures are defective 
in organization or development, let them not hinder their children 
from having more perfect bodies and stronger intellects. 

In October, 1880, I received a letter from a gentleman living in 
Colleton county, South Carolina, asking me if I could treat and cure 
of the Opium Habit an infant thirteen months old ! He said that 
his wife was an Opium User, and all their children were naturally 
addicted to the "drug"— so much so that it had been found abso- 
lutely necessary to give them daily doses of morphine from the time 
of their birth. The older ones had been weaned from the " drug " by 
gradually reducing the dose after they reached the age of six or eight 
months ; but the craving of the youngest was so persistent that it 
seemed impossible to cure it. 

This may seem an unusual as well as startling case, but there 
are tens — yes, hundreds, of similar instances in this country. 
Where the appetite is not congenital it is formed in infancy by 
means of paregoric or "soothing syrups." Only a few weeks ago I 
learned of a case where an infant, "brought up on a bottle," was 
given a few drops of laudanum in its milk each time it was fed. Its 
parents were ignorant or thoughtless, and did not realize what im- 
mediate and permanent suffering they were preparing for their 
child. But they were no more culpable than those who make their 
infants stupid with "soothing syrups," and paregoric, or Godfrey's 
cordial, and thus create an appetite which may, at last, become 
gigantic and utterly ruinous. 

It is not by such devil's food that strong, healthy, and wise men 
and women can be raised up to fill this great land with citizens of 
which it is worthy. Here should be fulfilled the dreams of poets 
and philanthropists of a royal race — kings of strength and queens 
of loveliness — well suited to the fair land which is their heritage; 
here should 

" Spring the crowning race of human kind." 



158 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM; 



CHAPTER XXX. 

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY IN THE OPIUM TRAFFIC. 

[From New York World.] 

"More than 100,000,000 of China are, directly or indirectly, suf- 
ferers from the use of opium." The writer of the article on opium 
in the last edition of the "Encyclopedia Britannica " states that the 
number of those who use it to be 100,000,000 or 125,000,000, as the 
population may he 300,000,000 or 400,000,000. 

And now the British Government in India to increase its 
revenue, has authorized the licensing of shops throughout India and 
Bermah for the free sale of opium. These licenses are issued in a 
very unusual form. Those who take the license come under obliga- 
tion to sell a stipulated amount or to pay a forfeit ! Thus the gov- 
ernment almost compels the holders of the license to stimulate its 
subjects to consume a deadly poison ! The door is thrown wide open 
for all the inhabitants of India to take that which destroys at once 
the body and the soul. 

The unrestricted sale of opium is permitted in Java, with its 
20,000,000 of population. It is also permitted in the French posses- 
sions in Southeastern Asia, with a population of 8,000,000 or 10,000,000. 
The vice is also carried by the Chinese immigrants into Siam and 
all the islands of the Eastern Archipelago. If the populations 
of the various countries in Asia in which the free sale of opium is 
permitted are added together, the aggregate number is more than 
600,000,000! In Europe and America the sale is restricted to 
medicinal use, by the direction of physicians, and the vials and boxes 
containing it, when thus given out by druggists, are carefully labeled 
"Poison." 

So the laws of China once prohibited the sale and use of opium, 
the violation of which was punished by death. So earnest were the 
Chinese to prevent its introduction into the country that the gov- 
ernment became involved in a costly war with England about it, at 
the close of which a treaty was made in which England recognized 
China's right to prohibit the introduction of opium, but left it with 
China to seize the vessels that smuggled it in and confiscate the 
vessel and cargo ! But as the smugglers were Englishmen and 



OR, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 159 

ships English ships, the Chinese were afraid to execute the law, and 
so opium was brought in English bottoms from India to China from 
1842 to 1860. 

After thus righting the traffic for sixty years the Chinese Gov- 
ernment, finding it could not stop the smuggling of opium into the 
country by British vessels, finally gave up the contest, and submitted 
to legalize the horrible traffic which it could not destroy. And once 
admitting it into the country it could not enforce the laws against 
its sale and use, and shops were opened in every city and town and 
village in the empire. The next step was, as they could not keep 
out the opium from India, to begin the cultivation of the poppy in 
China itself. Now the opium made from the native grown poppy is 
said to be three times as much in quantity as that imported from 
India 

In the districts where it is thus grown the price of the native 
opium is very cheap, and its consumption has spread among men, 
women, and children, so that some resident missionaries in these 
districts say that sixty and seventy out of every hundred of the peo- 
ple are more or less opium eaters. When I went to China in 1844 it 
was supposed that 2,000,000 used it. Before I left China I estimated 
that the 2,000.000 had grown to 40,000,000, while Hudson Taylor now 
puts the number of^those who use it directly or indirectly at 100,- 
000,000. 

Now let us sum up the enormous extent of this curse. The 
population of India and Burmah, according to the census taken last 
year, is 285,000,000 ; that of China is 350,000,000— some make it 400,- 
000,000. The island of Java counts its 20,000,000, to which the French 
possessions in Southeastern Asia add at least 10,000,000 more. The 
Eastern Archipelago has, say, 5,000,000, making altogether a total of 
670.000,000. The curse of Asia has been saddled upon that continent 
by Christian Europe. For this terrible blight cast upon the greatest 
of the four quarters of the globe the British Government is chiefly 
responsible. A hundred years ago the East India Company com- 
menced to monopolize the production of opium for sale in China, 
and the government at home gave to the company the protection 
of the British flag. Since 1858 the British Government has had a 
monopoly of the production and sale of opium. Great Britain is thus 
directly responsible for the prevalence of the opium plague among 
the 670,000,000 people in Asia. 



160 FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM ; 



L'ENVOI. 



" God's best gift to man ' is the Arab's favorite name for Opium. 
Looking out of his dreamy reverie, in which poverty and toil are 
forgotten, he ascribes to the potent drug a heavenly character, a 
mission divine. Wearied with the long, fatiguing march across 
desert wastes, or maddened with the cravings of unappeased hunger 
and thirst, he turns, with restless eagerness, to his only refuge, 
Opium, and as its magic spell weaves around him visions of gorgeous 
splendor and princely state, he fervently calls it " God's best gift to 
man." 

But his Opium dreaming has no affinity for the life which pal- 
pitates in this new world of ours. The sluggish nations of the 
Orient may be content to let to-day be as yesterday, and to-morrow 
as to-day. The Arab comes, at sunset, to his halting place in the 
desert ; eats his meal of dates ; prostrates himself t jward his Holy 
City, and performs his evening devotions, and then silently takes 
his place in the circle formed by his comrades. Dreamily, for awhile, 
they sit while the smoke from their pipes floats lazily up among 
the stunted palms and tamarinds. At length a voice is heard; 
a story is begun. It is not a new tale. The Present, our Present, so 
full of life and movement and throbbing energies, has no part in it. 
It is older than the trees under which they rest ; older than the 
path along which they are journeying. It is a tale of some Arabian 
night which was, perhaps, told by lips which were dust when the 
forests of Europe began to smoke with the first scattered Aryan 
camp-fires. It has been listened to by countless generations. Every 
man in that circle has heard it a thousand times before. But they 
listen as if it were new — with more interest than if it were new. 
When it is ended they lie down and sleep, and at sunrise awake and 
begin once more their desert journey. 

These men do not live — they only exist As their fathers were 
thousands of years ago, so they are now. Not only do they still 
dwell in tents, but the very shape of their tents remains as it was at 
the beginning. They live in the desert, and its monotony has passed 
into and become a part of their very souls. And he who, in this 



OK, THE FETTERS BROKEN. 161 

mighty continent of the West, delivers himself over to a life of 
Opium torpor, falls from his high estate and passes into a world 
which, by contrast, is even more dreary and monotonous than that 
of the Arab tribes. His very oases will be sterile, the waters brack- 
ish, the palms but shadeless shrubs. He passes from the living, 
progressive world into a desert whose extent is limitless, and whose 
dry and dreary pathways have no end. 



THE END, 



APPENDIX. 



NEURASTHENIA, OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



In giving to the Public this Treatise on the Use, Abuse and 
Cure of Opium, and its derivatives, I feel that it would be incom- 
plete without a chapter on Neurasthenia, or Nerve Exhaustion — a 
Disease that has been comparatively unknown until within the past 
twenty-five years, and which is even now very little understood ; a 
Disease manifest in many functional forms, but with the same gen- 
eral symptoms ; a Disease in which the mental faculties become 
confused, losing their grasp of previous events ; where sleep is out 
of the question, and insomnia aggravates the nervous condition of 
the mental forces ; where the mind, though active, is unable to 
bear any burden ; and where, in many instances, constant fears op- 
press the patient, lest he should lose his reasoning powers ; a Dis- 
ease in which the appetite is capricious ; where depression of spirits 
is very common, accompanied with great lassitude and nervous pros- 
tration ; a disease in which all symptoms are not usually present 
in equal degree, but may increase, diminish, and sometimes disap- 
pear, proportionately to its leading features. 

When the divine curse was pronounced in the Garden of Eden, 
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread," the human family 
was doomed to toil. The irrevocable law has been handed down 
from generation to generation, and man has been compelled to labor 
in order to live. In the primeval ages the employment of the race 
was purely of a physical character ; but as the centuries rolled away 



NEURASTHENIA, OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 163 

into the dead and forgotten past, the mind' gradually took its place 
as a worker among men. As the race has steadily gone forward in 
the march of progress, the brain has, by degrees, asserted itself 
master of the body. To-day, much more than in the earlier ages, 
man must work. To-day, much more than then, he must labor with 
the mind as well as with the body. Then, the physical powers of a 
man were his chief patent of nobility ; now, matter worships mind. 
The changes, remarkable in themselves, have had a singular effect 
upon the world. Each successive age has brought a higher state of 
civilization, until the old barbaric times in the long ago, seem sepa- 
rated from us by an almost bridgeless gulf. And yet each step has 
been carefully marked on the historic page, and he who would find 
the first link in the chain of progress must turn to the Almighty's 
condemnation, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.' 1 

The advancement of civilization has brought in its train evils of 
an undoubted character consequent upon the rapid progress which 
has been made. The more civilized we become the greater the 
mental work that has to be performed. In this country the brain is 
a more important factor than it has ever been before, and especially 
on this continent of America. In this age the marvelous power of 
steam has bound two continents together in a firmer bond of friend- 
ship than statecraft ever planned ; the telegraph clicks its magic 
fingers in one hemisphere, and the next morning the printing press 
tells the story in another ! Our vast commerce brings every nation 
on the earth into sympathy with us, and our treasure ships float on 
every sea. The grand political system under which we live gives 
every voter a voice in the affairs of the government, and places each 
man on the broad level of equality with his fellow-man : while our 
civil and religious liberty insures freedom of thought and freedom 
of speech to every dweller on Columbia's shores. In every branch of 
industry, in every department of trade, Science has spoken her man- 
datory words, raised her magic wand and made the world pulsate 
with the heart-throbs of a living, working, progressive people. 

Under these newer and advanced forms of civilization, the men- 
tal triumphs over the physical ; and so we find amongst us vast 
armies of men and women whose labor is that of the head more 
than that of the hands. The effect of this change of toil, and the 
fearful rapidity, the feverish excitement with which business is 
carried on, has left its impress on the nation's health. Old forms 
of diseases have given place to new ones, and new diseases have 



164 NEURASTHENIA, OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 

appeared, growing out of the changed condition of the people's 
work. This is especially true in reference to nervous disorders, and 
can be directly traced to the mental exertion and strain necessary 
in commercial and professional life. 

The difference between the two classes of work is apparent at 
once. The laborer in the field, at the anvil, or in any other mere phys- 
ical pursuit, closes the labors of the day, and does not seek, " Tired 
Nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep," in vain. But the brain worker, 
busily plodding through difficult mazes of thought in the day 
time, goes to bed only to continue his thoughts during restless, weary 
hours, until exhausted Nature sinks in fitful and enervating sleep. 
The morning finds the artisan with clear eye, clear head, hearty 
appetite and vigorous strength for the day ; but it finds the brain- 
worker languid, dull, listless, with no appetite for food and no dis- 
position for work. But the daily needs are pressing, the daily de- 
mands are urging their claims on his attention, and nerving himself 
to the task, he throws himself into the busy whirl of work, and 
keeps pace with the rushing masses around him. Sometimes 
months, sometimes years elapse before his health breaks down, and 
he becomes a raving maniac, a helpless paralytic, or may be, a lonely 
tenant of the voiceless grave ! 

To such an extent has this grown of late years that it has been 
found necessary to name this form of new disease, and it is now 
known to the medical world as Neurasthenia, or Nerve Ex- 
haustion. Our cities and large working centers are filled with 
mentally overworked men and women, suffering with this disease in 
all its different forms and phases. More especially is it found 
amongst editors, lawyers, physicians, preachers and professional 
men generally. It is also found amongst those following mercan- 
tile pursuits; indeed all who have. to use their mental faculties 
largely in the prosecution of their daily avocations, are subject to 
Neurasthenia. Every summer tens of thousands seek the coast, the 
lakes, or the mountains, in search of health and rest. Every year 
tens of thousands break down, under the terrible mental strain, and 
become unfit for business. History points to a long list of great 
men, who in the prime of life, yielded to their increasing burdens 
and sank down to premature graves. Nerve Exhaustion is now so 
prevalent amongst Americans, and is so rapidly increasing, that the 
attention of the medical faculties has been particularly drawn to it. 
Many remedies have been proposed and tried, with some good results 



NEURASTHENIA. OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 165 

and many vexatious failures, but the most effective agent yet em- 
ployed is Gold. During a long and extensive practice, twenty-five 
years of which have been spent in this city, I have made many experi- 
ments with the various salts of gold, and have invariably found that 
when properly prepared and administered, Gold is an invaluable and 
never-failing remedy for Neurasthenia. Since giving to the world 
my Double Chloride of Gold Cure for Drunkenness and the Opium 
Habit, I have received letters from all parts of the country, asking 
if Gold Cure will relieve Nerve Exhaustion. This question is asked 
because my treatise on the Gold Cure refers to Neurasthenia as a 
nerve disease, and one likely to lead to Drunkenness and Insanity. 

It is undoubtedly true that hitherto this disease has been but 
little understood, and this may, in some measure, account for the 
difficulty which has been experienced in treating it. 

Fortunately the difficulty no longer exists, since it has been am- 
ply demonstrated that Gold will quickly relieve and permanently 
cure Neurasthenia. It is no experiment, but the result of years of 
study and actual test in practice. As such, it will at once commend 
itself to the millions who have long sought but never found other 
than temporary relief from their troubles. 

Leslie E. Keeley. M. D.. LL.D. 



GENERAL SYMPTOMS. 

Neurasthenia, or Nerve Exhaustion, has been comparatively un- 
known until the last twenty-rive years, and is even now but little 
understood. It has several clinical varieties, but the same general 
symptoms prevail in all cases. It is manifested in many functional 
forms. These may be divided into two classes, the mental and the 
physical. 

The human system, in all its actions, is controlled and directed 
by the great nerve centers from whence spring mental activity and 
physical action. It is well understood that these nerve centers are 
the seat of life, the origin of all mental phenomena and physical 
sensations. The various symptoms of Neurasthenia herewith de- 
scribed are simply an indication that the great nerve centers, the 
generators of vitality, energy and force, have lost some of their 
inherent virtue, and hence are unable to supply the system with the 
necessary power to think and to do in accordance with natural laws. 



166 NEURASTHENIA, OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 

The Fountain-Head, the spring of life, being disorganized, it fol- 
lows that the difficulty must flow to every organ and function which 
derives its power from the central source of activity. 

For this condition of the system, Reason as well as Science, 
would indicate a Remedy which will have a direct and positive effect 
upon the nerve centers. Such an agent is found in the Double Chlo- 
ride of Gold. The remarkable therapeutical virtues of Gold have 
long been known, but its scientific and accurate application has not 
been understood by the profession, and hence its disuse. By the 
special method of preparation employed by Dr. Leslie E. Keeley, the 
Double Chloride of Gold has become the great medical agent, which, 
acting promptly upon the nerve centers, gives to the worn-out and 
diseased system renewed health, activity and life. 

The mental disorganization of the nervous system is frequently 
observed in severe headache, which is not unfrequently limited to 
one side. The patient will experience all the forms of sick and ner- 
vous headache, often accompanied with feelings of dizziness and 
utter prostration. The mental faculties become confused, and it is 
difficult to think consecutively and clearly, while the memory loses 
its grasp on previous events and fails to perform its duties satisfac- 
torily. In this condition, sleep is generally out of the question, and 
Insomnia aggravates the nervous condition of the mental forces. 
The mind is quite active, but is unable to bear any burden, and in- 
capable of any labor except that of the most ordinary kind. It not 
unfrequently happens that the patient is tormented with fears lest 
he should lose his reasoning powers entirely. 

The physical symptoms are very varied. The appetite appears to 
be capricious ; the patient sometimes eating to excess, but oftener 
having no appetite at all. Foods of all kinds will become obnox- 
ious, and there is sometimes nausea, vomiting and consequent 
emaciation. Depression of the spirits is a very common and general 
symptom, accompanied with great lassitude and nervous prostration. 

All these symptoms, especially the mental ones, are not usually 
present in an equal degree, but may increase, diminish, or at times 
disappear, proportionally to the leading symptoms of the disease. 

Many persons of Neurasthenic tendencies have these symptoms 
in a modified degree, and thus are able, by the use of stimulants, 
to perform their business duties. Some people avoiding stimulants 
draw largely on their cerebral nerve force, which, after a while, yields 
to the unusual strain, resulting in a general collapse. The use of 



NEURASTHENIA, OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 167 

stimulants excites the nervous system to an unwonted degree, and 
brings about other and graver troubles, frequently leading to fatal 
results. The women of this country are, to a large extent, afflicted 
with Neurasthenia. The causes are many and well known. 

The confinement of school hours, and the unwise mental stimu- 
lation aroused in our public schools and our seminaries, is a prolific 
cause of Neurasthenia. So is the use of too stimulating and indi- 
gestible food. Through these and similar causes, thousands of 
girls come to womanhood already partial invalids from Nerve 
Exhaustion. In multitudes of cases the sins or misfortunes of the 
parents are visited upon their children, and the latter come into the 
world with incipient nerve disease which develops as they grow up. 
Their duties as well as the dissipations of social life are responsible 
for many cases of nerve weakness. 



A Remedy which will restore health, vigorous and abundant 
energy to the nervous system, is surely a boon to those suffering 
men and women. Our G-old Cure for Neurasthenia is a preparation 
of the Double Chloride of G-old, compounded expressly for the Cure 
of Neurasthenia or Nerve Exhaustion. We pronounce it the most 
powerful sedative tonic and nerve vitalizer in existence ; and we 
confidently assert to all persons suffering from Nerve Exhaustion in 
any of its protean forms, that Two Bottles of this Remedy are equal 
in restorative power to " Three months in the mountains or a Sum- 
mer at the seaside." There is no other sedative tonic which can 
compare with it in beneficial effects. Other medicines are either 
only temporarily stimulant in their action, or else are inefficient in 
severe or chronic cases. But the Double Chloride of Gold, as exhib- 
ited in this preparation, gives new and healthy nerve force in the 
place of that diseased and exhausted. The Remedy contains no 
opiates, it is not cumulative in its action, nor does it create in the 
system a necessity for its continued use. 

This preparation of Double Chloride of Gold is carefully pre- 
pared under the personal supervision of Dr. Keeley, and accurately 
graded with special reference to each case. 

Sold only in Pairs, consisting of Two Bottles, eight ounces each, 
and securely packed for shipment by Express, to all parts or the 
world. Price $8.00 for each Pair of Bottles. 



168 NEURASTHENIA, OR NERVE EXHAUSTION. 

GENERAL DIRECTIONS. 

1. Take the Remedy in teaspoonful doses in a quarter of a glass 
of water four times a day, viz: Just before each meal and on 
going to bed at night. 

2. Take as much rest as possible, both mental and physical. 

3. Bathe frequently in tepid water, and rub the body well with 
a crash towel. 

4. Out-door exercise should be regular, frequent, and active ; 
long walks will be found very beneficial. 

5. Keep the bowels well open, using an active cathartic, if 
necessary, for the first few days of treatment. 

6. Rest the mind by a diversity of occupation, amusements, or 
in any way that does not require much mental exertion. 

7. Retire early and get all the natural sleep you can. 

8. Avoid Stimulants and Narcotics of all kinds, especially 
Opiates, Chloral, and Bromidia. 

9. Be regular in your habits, especially in reference to hours of 
eating and sleeping. 

GENERAL RESULTS. 

In a few days the stomach will begin to resume its normal 
functions; the digestive organs will perform their work, and the 
patient will have an improved appetite. The food eaten will be 
readily digested and cause no inconvenience. As the G-old acts upon 
the higher cerebral nerve centers, the nervous disturbances will 
gradually pass away, and the patient will sleep well and have no 
distressing wakefulness or bad dreams; he will awake refreshed, 
with buoyancy of spirits and cheerfulness of disposition, and work 
will no longer be a burden, but a pleasure to him ; he will be restored 
to a healthy, sound condition of mind and body, freed from pains 
and aches, and with a clear head will be fully able to perform the 
active duties of his avocation. 



TOBACCO. 169 



TOBACCO. 



Tobacco is recognized as a poison, and as such, when taken into 
the human system, exerts a powerful influence on the nervous 
organization, manifestations of which are shown in the formation of 
the Habit. As yet the changes that take place in the nerve tissues, 
as a result of its continuous ingestion, are not demonstrable under 
the microscope : but by inductive reasoning we are aware that the 
effects are profound, and of such character that the individual is of 
necessity compelled to renew the supply of the poison as nature's 
forces eliminate it from the system. 

The cutting off of the Tobacco by force of will alone is attended 
by a variety of nervous disturbances, such as tremulousness of the 
hands, great irritability, difficulty of concentrated thought, with the 
ever present craving for Tobacco ; the last symptom is the one that 
persists for the longest period, and where an individual endeavors to 
cure himself by effort of will, this unsatisfied demand of the nervous 
system inevitably leads the patient back to the use of the poison. 

Of the various forms of the Tobacco Habit, Cigarette Smoking 
is the most destructive, then follow Pipe or Cigar Smoking, Chew- 
ing, Snuff Dipping, and the use of Snuff in the nose. The Smoking 
of Cigarettes is the worst form of Tobacco using : 

First. Because of the powerful and deleterious substances used 
in their composition to reinforce the Tobacco. 

Second. The fumes of the burning compound are drawn into 
the lungs, and the large proportion of the elements composing smoke 
are deposited on the mucous membranes of the bronchial tubes, 
from thence they readily pass into the circulation. The effect on the 
blood is to impair its life-giving principles, and thereby reduce the 
individual's vitality at the fountain-head. The effect on youth is to 
arrest growth, preventing full development of the physical system, 
mental capacity, and lowering the powers of life to such an extent 
as to make the victim an easy pray to disorders that a normal 
organization would easily repel. The visible effect is manifested in 
the confirmed habitue by the lack of vitality, listlessness, sallow 



170 TOBACCO. 

complexion, general nervousness, impaired digestion, lack of 
capacity for mental labor and a growing necessity for constant con- 
sumption of Cigarettes, without which the ordinary occupations 
would be continued with great difficulty. 

Third. The worst feature of Cigarette using lies in the fact 
that, after a time, the craving is not satisfied by Cigarettes alone, but 
leads to the formation of the LIQUOR or OPIUM Habits. 

All forms of the Habit are easily eradicated by the Double 
Chloride of Gold Cure, and the craving will not return unless again 
cultivated. As a result of the treatment, the patient experiences a 
marked physical improvement in addition to the relief from the 
craving for Tobacco ; for, aside from its curative properties for the 
Tobacco Habit, the Remedy is one of the best general tonics that 
could be formulated. 

Price of the Remedy is $5.00 per Pair, and full directions 
accompany each package. 



GEKEKAL SYNOPSIS. 



CHAPTER I. 

The Mirage of the Soul, or the Habit Forming, 

Truth and falsehood mingled in descriptions of Opium— Its 
marvelous influence in quieting pain — Physicians not usu- 
ally responsible for the formation of the habit — Patients 
themselves to blame for unauthorized use of Morphine- 
Mischief done by vivid pictures of Opium intoxication- 
Words of temptation and danger — The seeming intellectual 
brilliancy caused by Morphine largely delusive, not genuine 
—Literature little enriched by it— Great success results from 
hard work, not from the Opium stimulus — Examples — Mor- 
phine in mental distress — The men and women of the South. 

CHAPTER II. 

Morphia-mania, or the Habit Established, .... 

The quiet growth of habits— People are confirmed Opium 
users long before they realize the fact — Usually no attempt 
to resist the "morphine-crave " as long as the drug exhila- 
rates—The external, physical, and the mental character- 
istics of the earlier stages of the Opium disease— Effects 
upon the beauty of women, their eyes and voices. 

CHAPTER III. 
Morphia-mania— continued, 



Cessation of mental growth and power— Failures in business 
— Effects of confirmed Opium using upon the will, the judg- 
ment, the memory, the feelings, the social nature, the 
normal faculties — The secret sense of shame. 



Pages 
5 to 18 



19 to 24 



25 to 30 



CHAPTER IV. 
Morphia-mania — continued, .... 



The sufferings of the later stages— Attempts to abandon 
the drug — The rebellion of the physical nature against the 
poison — Deaths of confirmed morphine users from an over- 
dose, how caused. 



31 to 33 



172 GENERAL SYNOPSIS. 

CHAPTER V. 

Pages. 
The Growth and Extent of the Habit, 34 to 38 

Ignorance of the subject — The nervous age — Use of stimu- 
lants and narcotics — Method of using the drug — Annual 
imports — Number of victims — Local statistics — Amount 
paid out annually — Quantity of the drug used daily in in- 
dividual cases — General results. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Pathological Conditions, 38 to 43 

Nervous diseases and their origin — Changes in a people, 
physically and mentally — Change of growth — Change of 
condition — Modern methods of living — Its demands on the 
nervous system — Stimulation. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Pathological Conditions — continued, 43 to 44 

Physical effects — First effects of Opium — Its subtlety and 
potency — Cumulative power — Submission of the system to 
repeated attacks. 

CHAPTER Till. 

Pathological Conditions —continued, 44 to 47 

Physical and mental pathology — The nervous system — 
Action of the afferent and efferent nerves — Effects of* Opium 
or Morphine on the nervous system — Isomeric change. 

CHAPTER IX. 

Pathological Conditions — continued, 47fo49 

The sequent pathology — Morphism — Opiumania — Gen- 
eral results of the excessive use of the drug — Post mortem 
examinations. 

CHAPTER X. 

Methods of Treatment — The Plan of Self Cure, . 49 to 57 

Recent attention given to the treatment of the habit — Self 
cure without aid of physician attempted — A typical case — 
Apparent success during first reductions of dose — Final 
failure — Instances — Satisfactory cure impossible by this 
method. 



GENERAL SYNOPSIS. 173 

CHAPTER XI. 

Pages. 

Methods of Treatment — continued, 57 to 63 

; 'Levenstein " method, and that of "Rapid Reduction'* — 
Precautions against escape and suicide to be taken — The 
agonies experienced — Insanity produced — Patients often 
die — No real sleep for ninety days — Leaves sane survivors 
permanently shattered in constitution. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Methods of Treatment -^continued, 63 to 68 

Drugs used in attempt to cure — Temporary cessation of 
craving not cure — Nux vomica and strychnine — Not con- 
sidered by physicians antipathic to Opium — Disguises the 
Morphine in them, but it is the Morphine which " sustains " 
— Effect of the glycerine in alleged "remedies"— Failures 
to cure or benefit. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Methods of Treatment — continued, 68 to 74 

Atropia — Its poisonous properties — Detailed statement of 
a case in which atropia was used — Terrible effects of the 
drug upon body and mind — No genuine and permanent cure 
possible through the use of such a deadly poison. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Methods of Treatment — continued, . . . . . . . 74 to 78 

Drugs used in attempts to cure — Hydrate of Chloral — Can- 
nabis indica. or Haschish — Coca not antipathic to Morphine 
or Opium — Jamaica dogwood — The bromides — Alcoholic 
stimulants — Quinine — This used in the nostrum which Fitz 
Hugh Ludlow barely escaped endorsing — Its uselessness. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Methods of Treatment— continued— The Successful 

Remedy, 78 to 85 

The Chloride of Gold and Sodium — First use of gold as a 
medicine — Later researches and experiments — Its manu- 
facture at the present time — Danger of its administration — 
The discovery of a menstruum which makes its administra- 
tion safe — Its use in scrofulous and kindred diseases — 
Histology — Primary action of Gold on the nerve centers — 
An antipathic to Opium —Its value as an anti-septic — Other 
effects upon the human system — A valuable remedy. 



174 GENERAL SYNOPSIS. 

CHAPTER XYI. 

Pages. 
Methods of Treatment — Special Treatment, . . 85 to 90 

Former methods employed by physicians — The new plan 
of reduction and extension — Honesty with patients con- 
ducive to mutual confidence — Self-reliance cultivated. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Methods of Treatment — Self, or Home Treatment, . 90 to 106 

Sanitariums — Charlatans — Home treatment without the 
aid of physicians — Rules to be observed — Medicine neces- 
sary — Baths — Exercise — Diet — General observations — 
Daily routine of a hypothetical case — Details of four cases 
treated by patients themselves. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Experiences of Recent Opium Users, 106 to 113 

Experiences of Dr. B — , a regular physician living in Texas. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Morphine Life of a Lawyer Living in Illinois, 

and his Cure 114 to 120 

CHAPTER XX. 
Experiences of Dr. J. M. R., of Southern Illinois, 120tol24 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Opium and Alcohol — Their Similar and Dif- 
ferent Properties and Effects, . . . 125 to 129 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Opium Smoking, 130 to 136 

A pen picture of an Opium "joint" — Its votaries — "The 
Sorcery of Madioon" — Social liberty among smokers — 
Its immediate effects, and remote results — The difference 
between Opium smoking and Morphine using, from a 
financial point of view — Opium cooking — The " lay out " 
— Smoking on the increase among the "better class" — 
Experiences of Fitz Hugh Ludlow and George Parsons 
Lathrop. » 



GENERAL SYNOPSIS. 175 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Pages 

Chloral, 136 to 139 

Its extravagant welcome by the medical profession — Its 
growing use as an intoxicant — Its irritant and poisonous 
effects upon the system — Results of the habit. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Haschish, 140 to 142 

An Oriental intoxicant — "Running amuck"— Used in 
England and America— Its effects compared with Opium 
—Its bewildering influence upon the mind — Bayard Tay- 
lor's experiment with the drug — Ultimate effects of its 
habitual use. 

CHAPTER XXY. 

The Cocaine Habit, 143 to 144 

The last and worst addiction — A habit that subverts 
manhood, and uproots all obligations to God, family and 
law — History of the drug — Effects of Cocaine as an 
anaesthetic — Lauded by medical journals as a remedy for 
the Opium habit — Consequent acquisition of the dual 
habit. 

CHAPTER XXYI. 

How to Procure Treatment for the Use of Opium 
and its Derivatives. Morphine, Lauda- 
num, Svapnia, etc., . . . . . . . . 145 to 149 

Moderate expense — Home treatment — Chemist's certi - 
ficate of absolute freedom from Opium or any of its pro- 
ducts — Endorsement by United States Government. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

General Directions to be Observed while Taking 

The Double Chloride of Gold, . . . . 150 to 152 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

The Need of Legislation, 152 to 154 

What has been shown in preceding chapters — Increase 
of Opium traffic — Patent medicines — Prescriptions — 
Druggists — Something ought to be done — Our public 
schools — People need information — Education leads to 
legislation — Need of State action — Boards of Health — 
Amendment of school laws — What the result would be. 



A 






176 GENERAL SYNOPSIS. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Pages. 
Last Words, 155 to 157 

Two objects in view in writing this book — Unnatural 
stimulants, like Opium and Chloral, not suited to produce 
the bodies and minds needed in this country — The 
Opiumized life of a Morphine user not in harmony with 
the strength and activity of this new world — It produces 
the life of the Arabian desert, not that of the new and 
wonderful West. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Government Responsibility in the Opium Traffic, 158 to 159 

L'Envoi, 160 to 161 

APPENDIX. 

Neurasthenia or Nerve Exhaustion, 162 to 168 

The Divine curse — " In the sweat of thy face shalt thou 
eat bread " — The human family doomed to toil — The 
march of progress — The brain, by degrees, asserts itself 
master of the body — Matter worships mind — Advance- 
ment of civilization — The marvelous power of steam — 
The telegraph — Vast commerce of the seas — A grand 
political system — The mental triumphs over the physical 

— Feverish excitement with which business is carried on 

— Old forms of diseases give place to new ones growing 
out of changed conditions — Nervous disorders traced to 
mental exertion — Two classes of work, physical and 
mental, compared. 

The new disease, Neurasthenia, and its victims — Thou- 
sands break down every year and sink to premature 
graves — Increase of civilization brings increase of mental 
labor — Disorganization of the nervous system — Mental 
faculties confused — Insomnia, or sleeplessness — Appetite 
capricious — Foods obnoxious — Depression — Prostration 

— General Collapse — Double Chloride of Gold the only 
agent thus far discovered that will restore exhausted 
nerve force. 

Tobacco, 169 to 170 



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